11 Outstanding Senior Student-Athletes Honored at Vermont's Senior
Letterwinners' Dinner

         BURLINGTON, Vt. -- The University of Vermont athletic department
honored 11 outstanding student-athletes at the annual senior letterwinners'
dinner Monday night on the Spirit of Ethan Allen III. Four different awards
- the Semans Trophy, the Sunderland Memorial Trophy, the Wasson Athletic
Prize and the J. Edward Donnelly Award - were handed out, with a male and
female recipient in each. In addition, three senior student-athletes were
honored with the Director's Recognition Awards. The Athletic Department
Award was presented to Dick Young, clock and scoreboard operator at UVM
hockey games for much of the last 40 years.

Semans Trophy - For Leadership, Loyalty and Service

GRANT ANDERSON, Basketball - A co-captain of the 2003 America East men's
basketball champions, Grant Anderson was the 'glue' on teams that won 21
games in consecutive seasons. An America East All-Conference Third Team
selection as a senior, he also won the Thomas O'Shea Award, given by the
UVM men's basketball staff to the individual with exemplary dedication,
courage and commitment to the program. "There are few players I have had
that have been a better representative of our program and the university
than Grant Anderson," Coach Tom Brennan said. A versatile forward, Anderson
ranked among the conference leaders in rebounds the past three seasons,
this year finishing third averaging 7.1 per game. He also led Vermont in
assists this season (seventh in America East) and was one of only a dozen
players nationally that led their team in the rare combination of rebounds
and assists. He concluded his career tenth all-time in rebounds at UVM with
580 and sixth in field goal percentage shooting 53.5%. He also was one of
the top defensive players on the Cats, and in the conference, often drawing
the opponent's best player. He is a three-time member of the America East
Academic Honor Roll, majoring in Business Administration, and his team's
representative to UVM's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In 2002 and
2003 he was a volunteer for the Vermont Special Olympics and this past fall
he spoke on behalf of UVM student athletes to the university's Board of
Trustees.

JENNY AGNEW, Hockey - A two-time ECAC All-Academic Team member and a
captain of the women's hockey team, Jenny Agnew (Sabattus, Maine) was one
of 15 national nominees for the 2003 Humanitarian Award, which recognizes
college hockey's finest citizen for their contributions to society in all
areas. Actively involved in the community throughout her career, Agnew has
coached field hockey and girls' lacrosse at Rice High School and
participated in several community projects, including Breast Cancer
Awareness Day, projects with the American Lung Association, Homeshare
Vermont and UVM's Alternative Spring Break. This year, Agnew earned the
Barbara Bates team award, given to the player that best embodies the
spirit, inspiration, dedication and humility exemplified by former
Catamount Barbara Bates '78. As a freshman, Agnew led UVM to its first-ever
playoff appearance in Division III. As a sophomore, UVM set a school record
for most wins in a season (14) and the following season, UVM made the leap
to Division I. Agnew led the team in scoring as a freshman and senior, and
finished sixth on the all-time scoring list with 38 points. She ranks fifth
in goals (18) and seventh in assists (20), and is one of four players to
play in 100 career games. Agnew is a Nutrition and Food Science major with
a 3.55 GPA. Just recently, she was named to the AWHCA Division I Academic
All-America team.

Sunderland Memorial Trophy - For Persistence in Overcoming Obstacles

RYAN MILLER, Hockey - An assistant captain on the men's ice hockey team in
2002-03, Ryan Miller (Gilbert, Ariz.) overcame a series of injuries
throughout his four-year career at UVM. A quiet leader, Miller was a top
two-way forward for Coach Mike Gilligan, playing in all situations: power
play, penalty kill and 5-on-5. He was also one of the top face-off men in
the ECAC. Miller missed 27 games over his four years with a variety of
injuries, the most significant being a shoulder injury in 2002-03 and a
series of concussions as a sophomore and junior. Despite the injuries,
Miller was a solid contributor, finishing his career with 13 goals and 22
assists for 35 points in 91 games. As a senior, Miller was ninth on the
team in scoring with four goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 30 games.
Three of his goals came on the power play. Off the ice, Miller was very
active in the team's participation in the Foundation for Excellent Schools
(FES). He hopes to become a hockey coach at some point in the future.

SHAWN CARNEY, Field Hockey - A talented midfielder and four-year starter on
the field hockey team, Shawn Carney (South Burlington, Vt.) missed just one
game in her UVM career despite serious knee problems. In high school,
Carney had three operations, including two reconstructions, on her right
knee. As a freshman, she played in 17 of 18 games for Vermont despite
constant pain from two screws in her knee that rubbed on her shin guards
during competition. Following the 1999 season she had surgery to remove the
screws and played in every game as a sophomore and junior. A trouble-free
senior year was not in the cards, though, as she had a fifth operation in
November 2001 to repair her right knee. Despite the series of operations,
Carney enjoyed a remarkable career which concluded with her being named to
the America East All-Tournament Team and to the All-Conference second team
in 2002. Her 33 career points put her in a tie for 13th all-time, and her
10 goals are tied for 17th. She also had 13 career assists, fifth-best ever
at UVM. Also an outstanding student, Carney is a three-time member of the
America East Academic Honor Roll and was named to the Commissioner's Honor
Roll in 2002 after posting a GPA of higher than 3.50. A Physical
Education-Athletic Training major, Carney also served as a student athletic
trainer for men's basketball and, this season, softball. She also
spearheaded many community service projects with her team.

Wasson Athletic Prize - For Outstanding Academic and Athletic Achievement

THOMAS HAJEK, Hockey and Lacrosse - A two-sport letterwinner and captain of
the men's ice hockey team in 2002-03, Thomas Hajek (St. Catharines,
Ontario) successfully combined athletics and academics in his four-year
career at Vermont. A Business Administration major with a 3.79 grade-point
average, Hajek was named to the Verizon Academic All-District I At-Large
Second Team in 2002. In addition, he is a two-time member of the America
East Academic Honor Roll and a three-time member of the ECAC All-Academic
Team. In 2002, he was named to the America East Commissioner's Honor Roll
for having a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher. This past hockey season,
Hajek was fourth on the team in scoring and finished with four goals and 21
assists for 25 points. He had one power-play goal and one game-tying goal.
He was sixth among ECAC defensemen in scoring and was tied for 13th in the
league in assist and tied for 17th in power-play points with 13. In
lacrosse, Hajek had 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 2002, and this
season he is among the team's top midfielders. He was the 2002-03 winner of
the Hosmer Graham Friends of UVM Hockey Award at the team's season-ending
banquet.

ALEXIS RESSLER, Field Hockey -A two-time captain of the field hockey team
and an outstanding student-athlete, Alexis Ressler (St. Louis, Mo.)
excelled on the field and in the classroom during her four-year career at
Vermont. A Classical Civilization major with a 3.88 cumulative GPA, she was
named to the 2002 STX/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA)
Division I All-Northeast Region Second Team and the America East
All-Conference First Team in 2002. She was also selected to play in the
NFHCA Division I North-South Senior All-Star game in November, becoming
only the second Vermont player to play in that elite contest. A three-time
member of the NFHCA National Academic Team and a four-time member of the
America East Academic Honor Roll, Alexis was inducted into the Alpha
Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in December. She is also a candidate for the
America East Field Hockey Scholar-Athlete Award and was nominated for the
Woody Hayes Scholar-Athlete Award. A two-time defensive MVP, Ressler led
the Catamounts to a 7-13 record and a spot in the America East
Championship, Vermont's first post-season appearance in more than a decade.
Ressler was recently named the UVM Student-Athlete of the Year by the
University's Women's Center and also won the John H. Kent Memorial Award at
the Classics Department Honors Day.

J. Edward Donnelly Award - Honors the Outstanding Senior Athletes

JEFF BARRY, Baseball - Vermont's first-ever conference player of the year
in baseball, Jeff Barry (Essex Junction, Vt.) will conclude his career as
one of the best ever to play here. A co-captain this season, has led the
Catamounts to a 28-10 record through May 11th, tying the school record for
wins set in 1992 and 2000. Also, Vermont - in first place - will be making
their third appearance in four seasons in the America East Baseball
Championship, this year held at Centennial Field later in May. On Sunday,
May 11th, he became Vermont's all-time leader in hits with 203, overtaking
former Donnelly Award winner Wade Rikert '00. With six games left in the
regular season, Barry is also tied for the all-time lead in runs scored. He
was selected to a pair of pre-season All-America teams and was named by
Baseball America as one of the nation's top 50 seniors. Barry has played in
132 straight games, the most in school history. Barry had a solid freshman
season, batting .366 and stealing 12 bases. He was third on the team in
both and best among America East rookies, and was named to the Louisville
Slugger freshman All-American team. As a sophomore, he hit .336 and led the
conference with 22 stolen bases. In addition to being named the America
East Player of the Year in 2002, Barry led Vermont to a program-best
second-place finish. He was named First Team All-Conference, All-Northeast
Region (ABCA), All-New England and All-ECAC. He led the conference with a
.401 average, five triples and 32 stolen bases while finishing second with
71 hits, 50 runs and a .486 on-base percentage. He set single-season school
records in hits, stolen bases and runs, and finished the season playing in
the New England All Star game at Fenway Park in Boston.

MORGAN HALL, Basketball - Morgan Hall (Hanover, N.H.) finished her career
ranked among the all-time leaders at UVM in 10 different categories. Fourth
all-time in scoring with 1,689 career points, she was a four-time America
East All-Conference selection, including earning Rookie of the Year honors
in 1999-2000. That year, she helped guide Vermont to the America East
Regular Season and Tournament Championships and an NCAA Tournament
appearance. As a sophomore, Hall was named to the America East
All-Tournament Team and was first-team All-Conference as well. As a junior,
Hall led Vermont to the conference regular-season championship and a
successful run in the WNIT, tying a WNIT single-game record with a
career-high 15 rebounds in UVM's first-ever national postseason victory
over Holy Cross. As a senior, Hall led the Cats to their second straight
20-win season, and became the first UVM player ever to score 30-plus points
in back-to-back games, scoring 33 points vs. Northeastern and then scoring
a career-high 38 points against Boston University. Her 38 points are third
all-time at Vermont for points in a game. She led the team in scoring as a
junior and senior, scoring 18.0 a game in 2002-03, second in the
conference, while also leading the team in rebounding. She is the fifth
player to reach the 1,000-point milestone as a junior.

Director's Achievement Award - Awards presented to a select group of senior
student-athletes who have exhibited special characteristics and committed
themselves to the University, its athletic program and community.

JON COOPER, Tennis - A co-captain of the men's tennis team and a 2003
America East All-Conference player, Jon Cooper (Concord, N.H.) was an
exceptional team leader and role model for a very young team. His energy
and work ethic has rubbed off, as Vermont's 4-2 record against America East
opponents this year is the program's best in many years. In the words of
his coach, David Moore, "Jon has exemplified the model of true leadership
during his four years at UVM. He has led by example, always willing to
devote his full energies to any and all causes related to the betterment of
the tennis program and the UVM community at large." His team's
representative to UVM's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, he also
represented UVM at the 2002 NCAA Leadership Conference and was named the
2002-03 winner of the Jeffrey A. Stone Memorial Award, given each year to
the tennis player who best exemplifies the qualities of character, love of
the game, leadership and concern for his fellow man. Cooper also led the
men's tennis team's community service project of snow removal for senior
citizens in the North Street neighborhood in Burlington. A Physical
Education major, he has been solid in the classroom, earning a spot on the
America East Academic Honor Roll in 2000. A four-year regular on the team,
he has filled a variety of roles playing anywhere from #3 to #6 singles. As
a sophomore he was 13-11 and this season he was 15-10 (5-1 in conference
matches) in singles heading into the America East Championship. He also has
had success in doubles throughout his career.

BROOKE FAIRBANKS, Soccer - Brooke Fairbanks (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) was the
vocal leader for the women's soccer team for four years, leading by example
while also being very involved in extracurricular activities. She finished
her career ranked second all-time in minutes played (4,994) and saves
(369). As a junior, Fairbanks set a new single-season record for most
minutes played (1,508). She also finished her career ranked seventh in
wins, recording 14 at Vermont.  She also was among the national leaders in
saves per game that season, and was named honorable mention All-Conference
as a senior.  Fairbanks earned the UVM Coaches' Award for her leadership
and commitment to UVM women's soccer. Off the field, she has been an active
member of the UVM community, participating in the TOPS Soccer program while
serving as a student representative on the Athletic Council. An active
member of the UVM Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and named to the SAAC
executive committee, she represented UVM at the Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee conference at the University of Virginia in 2002. Fairbanks also
helped organize the UVM Life Skills Spring Extravaganza/Captain's Dinner
and coached youth soccer teams in the area while serving as a counselor at
several summer soccer camps.  She worked with several professors as a
teaching assistant during her senior year and interned at a publishing
house in the spring/summer of 2002.

TIFFANY HAYES, Hockey - One of the top women's hockey players in school
history, Tiffany Hayes (New Milford, Conn.) owns six career goaltending
records and every single-season mark. She finished with 3,001 saves, second
all-time in NCAA history and at Vermont, behind only Tim Thomas. Hayes
began her career by recording 60 saves against Mercyhurst and helping
Vermont to a 12-9-4 record and its first-ever playoff berth while earning
ECAC Division III All-Rookie Team honors. As a sophomore, Vermont posted
the most wins in history (14) and Hayes became the first player to earn
All-America honors when she was named to the ACHCA/JOFA All-America First
Team. That year, Hayes made 55 saves in a triple-overtime playoff loss to
Colgate and was named ECAC Division III Goaltender of the Year and
first-team All-Conference. As a junior, Vermont went Division I, and Hayes
posted back-to-back 51-save performances to start the season. She was also
the starting goalie on the ECAC-North All-Star team that played the USA
National Team, making 20 saves. Later in 2001-02, Hayes broke her own
school record with 64 saves at St. Lawrence while leading the ECAC-North in
saves (956) and ranking fifth in save percentage (.908). As a senior, she
made 26 stops in UVM's first Div. I win, a 3-2 overtime victory at Boston
College, and was invited to the USA Hockey Training Camp to vie for a spot
on the 2003 World Championship Team. She registered back-to-back 60-save
games at Brown (64 saves) and at Harvard (60 saves) in 2002-03.

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