Female Newcomer of the Year SHELBY WISDOM (SOFTBALL) The freshman pitcher broke the UCSB school record for single season wins and strikeouts… She was named the Big West Freshman Field Player of the Year and to the All-Big West First Team…She led the Gauchos in ERA and led the Big West in appearances, starts and wins…She also had a team-leading .417 batting average in league games.
On May 23, UC Santa Barbara athletes gathered at the Isla Vista Theater for the Fifth Annual SB Awards, the year-end awards show that celebrates the past season in UCSB Athletics by highlighting the best performances by Gaucho athletes, coaches and teams. UCSB’s Student-Athlete Advisory Board created the SB Awards in 2008. The first show as held at The Hub in the University Center in May of 2008. Garry Fall, The Voice of the Gauchos, served as the event’s Mater of Ceremonies for the fourth consecutive year and a collection of student-athletes presented the awards to their peers. The show – which was preceded by a reception outside the theater – featured awards categories ranging from Athlete of the Year to Best Team Performance. The majority of the award winners were decided by an online vote of the student-athletes, coaches and department staff. Male Athlete of the Year LUIS SILVA (SOCCER) Selected First Team All-American, First Team All-Far West and First Team All-Big West in 2011…Chosen Big West Midfielder of the Year after ranking third in the nation in total points (44), fifth in points per game (2.00), sixth in goals (17), eighth in assists (10), ninth in goals per game (0.77), and 15th in assists per game (0.45)…Led the Gauchos to the NCAA Sweet 16. Female Athlete of the Year BARBARA NWABA (TRACK AND FIELD) Her heptathlon score of 5,986 at the Sam Adams Multi-Events Meet was the second highest score in the nation this season, a new UCSB record and a new Big West record…She also won the Big West Championship in the heptathlon and was named the league’s Field Athlete of the Year after scoring a championship meet record 5,709…She finished second in the nation and earned First Team All-American recognition at the NCAA Championships. Men’s Sport Coach of the Year PETE DOLAN (TRACK AND FIELD) Guided the UCSB men’s track and field team to its first-ever Big West Championship, defeating second-place Long Beach State by a 179-150 margin…Named Big West Coach of the Year…Nine of his athletes qualified for NCAA competition…The Gauchos won their first ever Cal/Nevada Championship and finished second at the Big West Challenge Cup…UCSB also defeated rival Cal Poly in a dual meet. Women’s Sport Coach of the Year: BRIE GALICINAO (SOFTBALL) Coached UCSB to its best finish since 2008 and its best league record (15-6) in program history…This season, the Gauchos overcame a 1-10 start and finished with a 30-28 overall record marking the fourth winning season in her five-year career and her second 30-win season. Male Newcomer of the Year BRETT VERTIGAN (BASEBALL) Led the Gauchos in batting average, hits, runs scored, triples, stolen bases and slugging percentage…Reached base in all but one games this season…Named First Team All-Big West. Women’s Swimming and Diving – Women’s Team of the Year
Male Performance of the Year DEREK MASTERSON (TRACK AND FIELD) AT SAM ADAMS MEET Recorded a score of 7,558 in the decathlon at the Sam Adams Multi-Events Meet… The score was not only among the top-six in the nation this year, it is the third highest total in UCSB history and the highest in 29 years…Masterson went on to win the Big West Championship in the decathlon as well.
Jeremey Peterson – Gaucho Heart Award
Female Performance of the Year BARBARA NWABA (TRACK AND FIELD) AT SAM ADAMS MEET Scored 5,986 points in the heptathlon at the Sam Adams Multi-Events Meet…Her score was not only a UCSB record, it was a Big West Conference record and it stands as the second highest score in the nation in 2012…Nwaba also won the Big West championship in the heptathlon, breaking a league championship record in the process. Team Performance of the Year WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AT THE BIG WEST TOURNAMENT The UCSB basketball team has rarely been an underdog in the Big West Tournament…In 2012, that is exactly what the Gauchos were, but they were able to sweep through the championships and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years. They posted wins over two teams seeded ahead of them, UC Irvine and Pacific, as well as Long Beach State, en route to the championship. Men’s Team of the Year TRACK AND FIELD The Gauchos won their first Big West Championship ever, cruising to a victory over secondplace Long Beach State, 179-150…UCSB qualified nine athletes for NCAA competition. Women’s Team of the Year SWIMMING AND DIVING The Gauchos took second place at the 2012 MPSF Championships after winning 10 event titles, setting five meet records, breaking six school records and posting 14 NCAA ‘B’ cuts…UCSB had two swimmers advance to the NCAA Championships and five earn Mid-Major All-American or Honorable Mention honors. Dare to Make a Difference Award JOHN AND DEBBIE KEEVER Gaucho Heart Award JEREMY PETERSON (BASEBALL)
John and Debbie Keever – Dare to Make a Difference Award
STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY BOARD (SAAB) AWARDS Best Student-Athlete Cheerleader – ALAN WILLIAMS Best Coach’s Quote – GREGG WILSON Most Embarrassing Injury – KIRSTEN TILLEMAN Best Excuse to Miss Practice – BRENT MCCUNNEY Gym Rat – CHRIS PETERSON Mr. and Ms. Gaucho CHRIS PETERSON BARBARA NWABA
Men’s Track and Field – Men’s Team of the Year 32 • DARE Summer 2012
DARE Summer 2012 • 33