Detroit's Mary Parker, Milwaukee's Billy Meier Receive Cecil N. Coleman Medal of Honor
June 28, 2007
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INDIANAPOLIS -- Senior soccer players Mary Parker of the University of Detroit Mercy and Billy Meier from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have been named the recipients of the 2006-07 Horizon League Cecil N. Coleman Medal of Honor.
The Horizon League's highest individual honor, the Coleman Award is presented annually to the Horizon League's top male and female student-athletes who best exemplify the dignity and high purpose of the Horizon League and its membership. The individuals demonstrate outstanding achievement in academics, athletics and extracurricular activities. Candidates must be a senior who has exhausted his/her eligibility and was a participant on the varsity level in a League-sponsored sport. In addition, nominees must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, or its equivalent.
"We are exceptionally proud of what Mary and Billy have accomplished in their collegiate careers as individuals and as members of successful teams," said Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone. "While student-athletes so often get praised for their work on the court or on the field, the Coleman Award also recognizes athletes for their character and tireless efforts in the classroom and community. These two individuals exemplify what our four platforms are all about, and we wish them well in their future endeavors."
Parker earned League Player of the Year honors for the second time in her career last fall, topping the League scoring charts with 17 goals and 40 points to become only the 12th player in loop history to reach the 100-point mark for her career. The senior midfielder led the Titans to the final match of the 2006 Horizon League Women's Soccer Championship and became the first student-athlete in UDM history to win First-Team Academic All-America notice from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The Troy, Mich., native also was a Third-Team Scholar-Athlete All-America pick by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and a three-time Horizon League/U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week, compiling a 3.610 GPA as a chemistry major.
One of only five players ever to earn four First-Team All-League certificates, Parker finished her career sixth on the all-time League list with 111 career points and tied for third with 47 career goals. She is the only player in League history to win All-Tournament honors at four separate Women's Soccer Championships. Parker's trophy case also includes the 2004 League Player of the Year award, in addition to a trio of NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region certificates and SoccerBuzz All-Region accolades from each of the past three seasons.
Off the field, Parker has served as a representative on the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the last three years, including a term as an officer in 2005-06. With that organization, she has been responsible for planning community service projects such as food drives and fundraisers. Parker also serves as a senior-level peer tutor in both math and chemistry for the UDM Learning Center, assisting younger students with their studies. In addition, she has participated in the NCAA's "Stay in Bounds" program, encouraging area youth to stay in school.
Parker has served as a comfirmation sponsor at her local parish, leading religious education youth groups, and participated in Alternative Spring Break 2006 with UDM Campus Ministry, rebuilding homes in Alabama following the hurricanes of 2005. She is the third Detroit student-athlete to win the Coleman Medal of Honor, and the first since softball standout Lori Caloia in 1999-2000.
"Mary is an outstanding person who typifies the image of the complete-student athlete and Coleman Medal recipient, Detroit athletic director Keri Gaither said. "Throughout her four years with the Detroit Titan soccer team, she has exhibited great character and leadership along with pride in her team, teammates and University. Mary's academic and athletics success are a result of her dedication to be the very best she can be. She is a tenacious competitor with a commitment to sportsmanship and service to others and we are very proud of her accomplishments."
"If you look at what Mary has done over the last four years, not only for our program, but for the university and the community as a whole, it shows that she is a great example for other student-athletes to follow and learn from," Detroit women's soccer coach Mike Lupenec noted. "We are very proud of her and all that she has accomplished. She is a great role model for younger athletes in the community and at the University of Detroit Mercy."
Meier posted a perfect 4.000 grade-point average as a business major, earning First-Team All-League honors on the field in 2006. He started 18 of the Panthers' 19 contests last fall and tied for third place on the team scoring chart with eight points (three goals and two assists) while also winning League Defensive Player of the Year honors after anchoring the Milwaukee defensive unit which recorded six shutouts and a 1.07 goals-against average in 2006. Meier was a Second-Team All-League choice in 2005, helping the Panthers to the League Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Championship.
Meier was tabbed as a First-Team NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region pick as a senior and was invited to the Major League Soccer combine last winter. His tenure at UWM includes three regular-season League titles (2002 as a redshirt, 2003, 2004) and four Horizon League Championships (2002-05). In his five years at Milwaukee, the Panthers compiled a 27-5-3 (.814) record in League play and a 71-26-12 (.706) overall ledger.
Meier gained Second-Team CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America notice as well as Second-Team NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-American acclaim last fall. The Racine, Wis., native is also a two-time Academic All-Horizon League honoree and earned Horizon League U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week recognition for the week ending October 8.
Off the field, Meier has been a Career Day volunteer at Atwater Grade School, and also has worked as an academic tutor. His community service efforts include time with the Community Clean-Up program at UWM as well community outreach work at the Kunkle Center, UWM's Children's Center.
"Billy Meier continues to make us proud in all he has accomplished and how he has represented Milwaukee in his time on campus," UWM athletic director Bud Haidet said. "He continues to be recognized nationally for his work in the classroom, his contributions to our campus and community are exemplary and his accomplishments on the athletic field are very impressive. Our student-athletes continue to set very high standards, both athletically andacademically, and Billy has continued that tradition and done a remarkable job of defining exactly what it means to be a Panther student-athlete. This is a very well-deserved honor for Billy."
"Billy Meier is an exceptional individual and is very deserving of this honor," Panther men's soccer coach Jon Coleman said. "The one thing that really stands out is that he has stayed dedicated and committed to what he wants in and out of the classroom and has let nothing get in his way of reaching his goals. He has been able to balance soccer and school in such a way that he gets the best out of both. He had a great senior season and five exceptional years at UWM. It wasn't easy for him at the start, but he worked extremely hard. The way the award is defined---dignity, achievement, purpose---he has all of those bases covered. His attributes exemplify this honor. I just hope his trophy shelf is big enough for all of the awards he has won this year."
Meier follows in the footsteps of Milwaukee's Antou Jallow (soccer) and Josh Nygren (cross country/track and field), who won the men's Coleman Medal of Honor in 2005 and 2006, respectively. He is the seventh Panther to receive the award since 1997-98.
Each Horizon League institution had the opportunity to nominate a male and female student-athlete for the Coleman Medal of Honor. The other nominees were Evan West (tennis) and Jackie Closser (basketball) from Butler University; Bjorn Schantz (swimming) and Michele Penney (softball) from Cleveland State University; Jason Massoglia (soccer) from Detroit; Derek Kosek (soccer) and Lisa Petty (cross country/track and field) from the University of Illinois at Chicago; Javier Lopez (soccer) and Marcia Faustin (track and field) of Loyola University Chicago; Nathanael Brown (cross country) and Stephanie Gross (soccer) from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; Cheryl Hegemann (volleyball) from Milwaukee; Ryan Klasmeier (swimming) and Stephanie Comisar (soccer/basketball) from Wright State University; and Drew Weizer (track and field) and Becky Bertuzzi (swimming) from Youngstown State University.
Ten of the 18 nominees completed their careers with GPAs of 3.70 or higher, including five of 3.87 and above.
Cecil N. Coleman Medal of Honor Winners Through the Years1980-81 -- Gary Massa, Xavier (basketball) 1981-82 -- Kurt Graves, Oral Roberts (cross country, track and field)1982-83 -- Paul O'Donoghue, Oklahoma City (tennis)1983-84 -- Danny Hightower, Oklahoma City (baseball)1984-85 -- Pat Heck, Evansville (baseball)1985-86 -- Lance Musgrave, Evansville (swimming and diving)1986-87 -- Ted Mimlitz, Saint Louis (basketball), Debbie Bajovich, Evansville (volleyball, softball)1987-88 -- Ken Dubois, Detroit (cross country), Andrea Bonny, Notre Dame (swimming and diving)1988-89 -- Scott Haffner, Evansville (basketball), Jill Taylor, Butler (volleyball)1989-90 -- Jody Littrell, Butler (basketball), Cheryl Forseth, Marquette (cross country)1990-91 -- Philip Summe, Xavier (swimming and diving), Beth Christiansen, Butler (volleyball)1991-92 -- John Kronenberger, Xavier (tennis), Marla Schuerman, Xavier (soccer)1992-93 -- Aaron Gries, Evansville (baseball), Jennifer Cole, La Salle (basketball)1993-94 -- Mike Billish, Loyola (cross country, track and field), Carol Madsen Miller, Xavier (basketball)1994-95 -- Chris Dean, Notre Dame (soccer), Kari Klier, Loyola (softball)1995-96 -- Chris Miskel, Butler (basketball), Claire Molloy, Loyola (basketball)1996-97 -- Andy Matko, Wright State (baseball), Alisa Pykett, Butler (soccer)1997-98 -- Jon Neuhouser, Butler (basketball), Lisa Krzykowski, Milwaukee (soccer)1998-99 -- Dmitri Ponomarev, Cleveland State (swimming and diving), Chari Nordgaard, Green Bay (basketball)1999-00 -- Paul McGinley, Milwaukee (track and field), Lori Caloia, Detroit (softball)2000-01 -- Fraser Thompson, Butler (cross country, track and field), Jacki Farr, UIC (tennis)2001-02 -- Jonathon Manke, Milwaukee (track and field), Erin Blaedow, Milwaukee (soccer)2002-03 -- Brandon Miller, Butler (basketball), Kristy Loiselle, Green Bay (basketball)2003-04 -- Jason Telford, Loyola (basketball), Janelle Tomlinson, Green Bay (volleyball)2004-05 -- Antou Jallow, Milwaukee (soccer), Victoria Mitchell, Butler (cross country, track and field)2005-06 -- Josh Nygren, Milwaukee (cross country, track and field), Grace Luginbuhl, Cleveland State (softball)2006-07 -- Billy Meier, Milwaukee (soccer), Mary Parker, Detroit (soccer)(Note: the women's award was first presented in 1986-87.)
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