The panel judged the nominees on their athletic and academic accomplishments, along with any campus/community service during the 2007-08 year as well as their career. seven men and nine women were nominated, all completing at least their junior season of eligibility and holding a minimum GPA of 3.00 as of April 1, 2008.

The awards are named for the MIAA's first full-time commissioner (pictured top left), who retired in 1997 after 16 years of service to the conference, and passed away in May 2004 at age 74.

2007-08 Men's Winner

Nick Smart
Senior · Southwest Baptist University
Football · Marionville, Mo.
Accounting & Economics (finance) majors · 3.866 cumulative GPA

2007-08 Athletics Accomplishments: Broke all-time NCAA record (all divisions) for receptions in a single season with 143 ... Led nation in catches per game with 13.0, which was 4.8 catches higher than the second-place receiver... Was third in nation in receiving yards per game (114.8)... Was fourth in nation in total receiving yards (1,263)... First-team All-MIAA, first-team all-region, first-team Football Gazette All-America, second-team Daktronics All-America, honorable mention D2football.com All-America... MIAA Athlete of the Week... Participated in the Cactus Bowl and East Coast Bowl senior all-star games.

2007-08 Academics Accomplishments: MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll... Will be on Academic All-MIAA team... Was a second-team CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District selection... Graduating Summa Cum Laude with double major in four years.

2007-08 Campus/Community Service: Delta Mu Delta business honor society vice president... Big Cat-Little Cat elementary school children's program... Has spoken to Marionville Elementary... Hosting an elementary football camp this summer... Has spoken at First Baptist Church in Marionville this year.

Career Athletics, Academics and Service Accomplishments: SBU leader in career receptions, career yards, receptions in a season and yards in a season... Has spoken to high school Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddles... Honored by the Missouri House of Representatives in early April for breaking the NCAA all-divisions receptions record... four-year All- MIAA and four-year Academic All-MIAA.... Honorable mention All-MIAA after his freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons... Named to the Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll for three seasons.

2007-08 Women's Winner

Michelle Stueve · Senior
Emporia State University
Basketball · Olpe, Kan.
Biology major · 3.58 cumulative GPA

2007-08 Athletics Accomplishments: MIAA MVP in women's basketball... unanimous selection on MIAA first-team... was consensus All-American earning the honor from the WBCA, CoSIDA and Women's D-II Bulletin... led ESU to share of MIAA regular season championship and the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years... became the MIAA and ESU all-time leading scorer and just the third player in MIAA history to have 2000 points and 1000 rebounds... was ranked in the top ten nationally in scoring, three-point field goals percentage and made three-pointers... led the league in three-point field goal percentage and was in the top four in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and made three-pointers... five time MIAA Women's Basketball Player of the Week... her 674 points scored this season are tied with Jurgita Kausaite for the fourth most in ESU history and sixth most in a single season in MIAA history... was a free agent invitee to training camp with the Washington Mystics of the WNBA... named Most Outstanding Female Student-Athlete at Emporia State.

2007-08 Academics Accomplishments: CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America... also a member of the MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll and ESU Athletic Director's Honor Roll... will likely qualify for Academic All-MIAA.

2007-08 Campus/Community Service: Participated in the American Diabetes Association Walk... volunteered with local Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) providing baby sitting service to mothers while they are involved with the MOPS program of support for mothers... painted a house as part of Rebuilding Together... took part in the Menu Foods Kiddie Carnival... helped with an after school clinic at Lowther North Intermediate School... visited Holiday Resort retirement community to visit with the residents over the semester break... along with the rest of the Lady Hornets adopted a family at Christmas... took part in "Dancing with the Seniors" the Senior Citizen Prom put on by the ESU SAAC... spoke at ESU Distinguished Ladies Luncheon.

Career Athletics, Academics and Service Accomplishments: The only Lady Hornet to be named a three-time WBCA and Daktronics All-American... is a three-time unanimous first-team All-MIAA performer... was 2005 MIAA Freshman of the Year and a Women's D2 Bulletin Freshman All-American... her 777 points scored as a sophomore are the second highest point total in ESU and MIAA history... has the first, second and fourth most made three pointers in a season in ESU history... scored ESU NCAA tourney record 41 points against West Texas A&M in the 2006 regional and had 40 points against American International in the 2006 NCAA Elite Eight... ended her career as the leading scorer in MIAA and ESU history with 2,403 points... is the ESU career record holder in scoring, made three pointers, free throws made and free throw percentage... ranks second all time in Lady Hornet career rebounding and field goals made, is tenth in blocked shots and 11th in steals... is the only Lady Hornet to finish her career with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, ending with 1,040 boards in 127 games and is one of only three players in MIAA history to pull off the feat and the first since Central Missouri's Tammy Wilson in 1989... in her career, the Lady Hornets went 100-27 with three trips to the Sweet 16, an Elite Eight appearance and an MIAA regular season championship... was