PHOTOS COURTESY OF BILL SAKOVICH
LEFT PHOTO: Seung Gin Lee, left, and Xenavee Pangelinan wait for their events during the 2001 World Swimming Championship in Fukuoka, Japan. RIGHT PHOTO: From left, Jin Han, Josh Taitano, David Palacios, and Jacoby Winkfield pose for a group photo during the Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia in 2001.
NMASA by the ROSELYN B. MONROYO TAGA Sports Staff Writer
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orthern Marianas Amateur Sports Association had its Annual Sports Awards Banquet in February and TAGA Sports looks back to see who’s who on the list since the event’s inception three decades ago.
The number of times CNMI Sports Hall of Famer Antonio “Tony” I. Rogolifoi won the NMASA Male Athlete of the Year. He was the first recipient of the coveted award, getting the traditional latte stone trophy in 1980. Rogolifoi was recognized for his impressive games in basketball where he won six MVP awards, five of them in succession from 1976 to 1980. Thirty years later, Rogolifoi was named NMASA Coach of the Year.
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The number of times tennis players notched the nMaSa athlete of the year award, with the late Irene Alpet making it to the podium first in 1986 and winning again in 1989. Jeff Race was the first male netter recipient of the especially crafted trophy in 1992, while Ji Hoon Heo was the latest to win in 2009 and also took home the student plum in 2006 and 2007. Christian Miller was only the fourth tennis player to win a nMaSa yearly award, bringing home the student plum in 2010.
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The number of times siblings won the NMASA Athlete of the Year Award. Jon Sakovich clinched the award in 1987; the following year, his sister, Anneka, took the yearly plum. David Palacios won the male athlete title in 1994 and 2005, while younger brother Dean notched the same award in 2003.
The number of times Elias Rangamar won the Coach of the Year award—the most by any mentor since the plum was given out in 2004. Rangamar, who coaches basketball and athletics, won in 2004, 2008, and 2009. Jeff Race, Robin Sapong, Michael Stewart, and Tony Rogolifoi were the other winners.
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20 taga sports | aprIL 2011
The number of times the NMASA Female Student Athlete of the Year award went to a Northern Marianas Athletics bet, with multi-event athlete Jacque Wonenberg owning five of them from 2005 to 2009. Bo Wang was the first recipient of the award in 2004, while Lia Rangamar was the latest in 2010.
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