Basketball Standout Tiara Malcom Named UD Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year for 2004-05 DATE: May 18, 2005 NEWARK, DE -- Standout forward Tiara Malcom (right), who led the University of Delaware women's basketball squad to three post-season playoff appearances while being named the 2005 Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year, was honored as the University's 2004-05 Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year at the annual UD Women's Intercollegiate Athletics Awards Banquet Wednesday night at Clayton Hall. Malcom, a 6-1 senior forward from Wilmington, DE (Caravel Academy), was a four-year standout for head coach Tina Martin, leading the squad to a four-year mark of 89-32, Colonial Athletic Association regular season titles in 2003 and 2005, and berths in the Women's National Invitation Tournament three times. The Hens, who went 55-15 in conference action during Malcom's career, fell in the CAA Tournament championship game in both 2003 and 2005. The Outstanding Senior Female Athlete Award is selected from a vote of the head coaches of Delaware's 12 women's intercollegiate sports. Malcom becomes the first basketball player to win the award since Megan Dellegrotti in 2002 and is the third straight Delaware native to be honored, joining 2004 winner Sara Peffer (swimmer from Newark High School) and 2003 recipient Julie Van Deusen (diver from Glasgow HS). Delaware All-American football player Sidney Haugabrook, a cornerback from Atlanta, GA, was honored Tuesday as the UD Outstanding Senior Male Athlete of the Year at the men's awards luncheon. Malcom, who served as captain of the 2004-05 squad, was a three-time All-CAA selection, earning second team honors in 2003 and 2004 before garnering first team recognition in 2005 when she was named CAA Player of the Year honors after leading the league in scoring with 15.5 points per game while ranking among the league leaders with 6.8 rebounds per game. She became just the third player in UD history to be named conference player of the year. A seven-time CAA Player of the Week and a six-time all-tournament selection during her career, Malcom set school records for career free throws made (535 - also CAA record), games played (121), and double figure scoring games (88) and ranks No. 4 all-time in scoring (1,545 points), No. 5 in blocks (109), and No. 9 in rebounding (794) for the Blue Hens. She averaged 12.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for her career. A family and community services major, Malcom was a two-time CAA Dean Ehlers Award candidate for overall contributions on the court, classroom, and community and has overcome a partial hearing loss in both ears to star for the Blue Hens. In addition to Malcom, the following student-athletes were honored as the team's Outstanding Performer for each sport as voted by team members. BASKETBALL: Senior forward Tiara Malcom was named the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Player for the second straight year. (see details above). CROSS COUNTRY: Freshman Colleen O'Brien (North Hunterdon/Lebanon, NJ) was named the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Athlete for women's cross country. In just her first year at the collegiate level, O'Brien led the Blue Hens in each of the last six meets of the season, including a fourth place finish at the Colonial Athletic Association championships in November. She earned All-CAA honors and also led the team with a seventh place finish at the ECAC championships and a 34th place finish at the NCAA regionals. FIELD HOCKEY: Sophomore midfielder Amanda Warrington (Cape Henlopen/Lewes, DE) was named the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Player for field hockey. Warrington led the Blue Hens to one of their finest seasons ever as Delaware went 15-7, won its first ever Colonial Athletic Association title, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1986. Warrington scored 10 goals and dished our four assists and was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, she earned first team All-CAA, first team All-ECAC, first team All-Mid Atlantic Region, and second team All-American honors. INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD: Sophomore sprinter Brittany Wright (Eastern/Voorhees, NJ) was named the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Athlete for women's indoor track and field. Wright was virtually unbeatable in the sprints this season, capturing eight meet titles in the 60 meters and 200 meters during the indoor season. She placed 10th in the 55 meters at the ECAC regional meet and set school records in the 55 meters (7.20), 60 meters (7.73), 200 meters (24.45), and 300 meters (42.49). She also placed fifth in the 4 x 100 meter relay, sixth in the 100 meters, and seventh in the 4 x 400 meter relay at the CAA outdoor track and field championships in April. OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD: Senior sprinter Kristen Frustillo (Cardinal O'Hara/Newtown Square, PA) was the recipient of the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Athlete Award for women's outdoor track and field. A four-year letterwinner, Frustillo capped an outstanding career by placing fifth in the 4 x 100 meter relay, 13th in the 100 meters, and 19th in the 200 meters at the CAA outdoor championships in April. She also placed 21st in the 4 x 100 meter relay at the ECAC regionals. LACROSSE: Senior midfielder Erin Edell (Glenelg/Glenelg, MD) was the winner of the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Player Award in women's lacrosse for the third straight year. A four-year standout midfielder, Edell served as captain in 2005 when she led the nationally-ranked Blue Hens to an 8-8 record and a berth in the CAA semifinals. She earned first team All-CAA honors this spring after ranking third on the team in scoring with 35 points on 29 goals and six assists. She also led the team and ranked among the CAA leaders with 51 groundballs and 38 draw controls. She earned second team All-CAA honors in both 2003 and 2004 and finished her career with 97 points on 81 goals and 16 assists. ROWING: Senior captain Lyra Sawzin (Brookline/Brookline, MA) was honored as the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Athlete for rowing. She led the Blue Hens to unofficial Colonial Athletic Association team titles in both 2003 and 2004 and a second place finish this past spring. During the 2005 season, Sawzin led the Varsity Eights boat to a second place finish at the CAA championships and a fourth place finish in its heat at the Dad Vail Regatta. SOCCER: Senior midfielder and defender Christine Wrightson (Hempfield/Landisville, PA) was the recipient of the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Player for women's soccer. A four-year letterwinner and three-year starter on defense, Wrightson earned first team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors this past fall when she led a defense that allowed just 16 goals in 18 games. She served as team co-captain in 2005 and was an America East All-Rookie selection in 2002. She led the Blue Hens to four straight winning seasons. SOFTBALL: Senior pitcher/first baseman Jenn Joseph (Brandywine/Wilmington, DE) was honored as the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Player for softball. A four-year letterwinner, Joseph earned second team All-CAA and second team National Fastpitch Coaches Association Mid-Atlantic Region honors this spring despite missing the final nine games with a broken arm. She batted .240 and ranked among the team leaders in hits (30), runs (15), doubles (7), and RBI (19) and went 9-10 with a 2.60 ERA and 92 strikeouts in the circle. She combined with Lindsay Jones for a no-hitter vs. Rutgers. SWIMMING: Senior Sara Stephens (St. Mark's/Wilmington, DE) was named the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Athlete for women's swimming. A four-year standout and two-year captain, Stephens capped an outstanding career in 2005 by establishing five school records and winning the 200 butterfly race at the Colonial Athletic Association championships. She posted 18 career top five finishes at the CAA meet and established school records in the 100 butterfly (56.04), 200 butterfly (2:03.26), 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay, and 400 medley relay. She also earned All-East honors six times in her career and also captured the 2004 CAA 400 medley relay title. TENNIS: Freshman No. 1 singles player Susan Pollack (Wyomissing Area/Wyomissing, PA) was the winner of the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Player Award for women's tennis. In her first year of collegiate tennis, Pollack was the Blue Hens' No. 1 singles player and No. 1 doubles player. She posted a singles record of 19-9, tying for the most wins on the team and recording the second highest singles win total by a freshman in school history. In doubles she posted a record of 17-7. During the fall she won the Swarthmore Invitational Flight A singles title, placed second in the A-1 doubles flight at the Hampton Roads Collegiate Invitational, and competed at the ITA Eastern Regionals in both singles and doubles. VOLLEYBALL: Senior middle hitter Valerie Murphy (Loudoun Valley/Round Hill, VA) was named the UD Alumni Association Most Valuable Player for volleyball for the third straight year. A four-year standout, Murphy led Delaware to a 23-9 record this past fall and a spot in the CAA championship game. She earned first team All-CAA honors as she led the team in kills (436) and was second in blocks (107) while hitting .317. She was named to four all-tournament teams in 2004 and to six in her career and ended her career ranked No. 5 all-time at UD in kills (1,265) and No. 9 in blocks (314) while hitting .296. She was a second team All-CAA selection in 2003. Also honored at the luncheon were the following student-athletes. • Senior softball outfielder Kelley Pastic (Chantilly/Centreville, VA) was a double winner, earning the ECAC Medal of Merit as the UD senior female student-athlete and letterwinner with the highest cumulative grade point index and being presented the UD Student Services for Athletes Outstanding Contributor Award. Pastic, a four-year starter in the outfield and UD's all-time leader in games played (195) and sacrifice hits (51), carries a 3.98 grade point index as a communications major and has served as the president of the UD Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) while being involved in various community service projects. She was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine District 2 All-Academic squad earlier this week. • Senior Julia Shapiro (Baldwin/Baldwin, NY), a member of the UD women's tennis squad, was also a double winner, earning the UD Student Services for Athletes Dr. Janice Jordan Award as well as being presented with the Colonial Athletic Association John Randolph Inspiration Award. Shapiro, who was a four-year letterwinner and served as co-captain as a senior, has remained a member of the team despite being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during her freshman year. She has remained a strong leader on the team despite battling the disease and has posted a career singles record of 21-25. - DDD -  Copyright, © 2005, University of Delaware. All rights reserved. Please direct Athletics questions to the Athletics Media Relations office.