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February 3, 2009

GLIAC Duo Receive NCAA Top VIII Awards at NCAA Convention

The GLIAC Becomes the first D-II Conference to have two Top VIII Award Winners in the Same Year

Washington D.C.-- University of Findlay women's track & field national champion Kirby Blackley and Grand Valley State University women's soccer All-American Katy Tafler were among eight student-athletes who received the prestegious NCAA Today's Top VIII award.  The duo were responsible for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) becoming the first Division II Conference to boast two Today's Top VIII award winners in the same year.

The Today's Top VIII award recognizes current student-athletes who have finished their collegiate careers for their athletics success, academic accomplishments, community service and leadership. Recipients were honored at the NCAA Honors and Delegates Celebration January 15 at the NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C.

Joining Blackley and Tafler on the list of the 2009 NCAA Today's Top VIII award winners are: Yael Averbuch, North Carolina, soccer; Dylan Carney, Stanford, gymnastics; Gregory Micheli, Mount Union, football; Kristi Miller, Georgia Tech, tennis; Louie Sakoda, Utah, football; and Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech, softball.

"We are very proud of the accomplishments of Kirby and Katy, and proud to say that they were student-athletes of the GLIAC," stated Commissioner Tom Brown.  "These two are shining examples of what student-athletes should strive to be."

Blackley won national championships in the long jump and 100 meter hurdles at the 2008 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championship. She was also voted the 2007-08 NCAA Division II Female Track Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

She also captured honors as the 2008 Great Lakes Region and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Athlete of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons, has been a 10-time All-American in both seasons during her career and has captured 14 conference championships during her tenure with the Oilers.

Setting records is nothing new for Blackley as she holds or shares eight school marks for the indoor and outdoor teams, has accumulated five GLIAC records and was featured in Sports Illustrated as part of their "Faces in the Crowd" (May 26, 2008 issue, page 27).

Additional accomplishments during her career include being named the 2007-08 Female Athlete of the Year at The University of Findlay, the 2007 Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Female Athlete of the Year, the 2005-2006 Female Athlete of the Year at The University of Findlay, the 2004-2005 Female Athlete of the Year at The University of Findlay and the 2005 GLIAC Field Athlete of the Year.

The Cincinnati, Ohio native was also nominated for the 2007-08 NCAA Woman of the Year award as well as the 2007-08 Division II Athlete of the Year, reaching the finals for both of the honors.

From an academic standpoint, Blackley received Adacemic All-American status as well as being named Academic All-GLIAC three times during her career.

Tafler has garnered numerous awards during her illustrious career at Grand Valley State. She is a two-time Daktronics, Inc. Division II Player of the Year (2006, '07) and a three-time all-american. She has earned Daktronics, Inc. First Team All-American status in each of the last three years and was an National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Second Team All-American this year after being an NSCAA First Team All-American the previous two years. In both 2006 and 2007, Tafler was named to the NSCAA Division II Final Four All-Tournament team.

Tafler is the only GLIAC player in history to record at least 40 goals and 40 assists in her career, and is just the 17th player to do so in Division II history. In her career, she ranks third in goals with 114 and third in points with 269. Tafler's point totals are both conference and school records as well. She has been named to the NSCAA Midwest Region First Team all four of her years at GVSU, and she has been a Daktronics, Inc. Midwest Region First Team honoree for the past three seasons. In each of the past three seasons, she has been selected as the Daktronics, Inc. Midwest Region Player of the Year. She has been a four-time All-GLIAC First-Team honoree and was chosen as the conference's Offensive Player of the Year for the past three seasons. During her freshman year, she was selected as the GLIAC Freshman of the Year.