DATE: May 18, 2004

NEWARK, DE -- Quarterback Andy Hall (at right), who led the University of Delaware football squad to its first national championship since 1979 and established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation in NCAA I-AA during his two seasons with the Blue Hens, was honored as the University's 2003-04 Outstanding Senior Male Athlete of the Year at the annual UD Men's Intercollegiate Athletics Awards luncheon Tuesday at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Hall, a 6-3, 210 lb. quarterback from Cheraw, SC (Cheraw High School), was among several Blue Hen student-athletes who were honored at the luncheon for their performances on the playing field and in the classroom over the past season.

The Outstanding Senior Male Athlete Award is selected from a vote of the head coaches of Delaware's 11 men's intercollegiate sports. Hall becomes the third straight UD football player to win the award after linebacker Dan Mulhern was honored in 2003 and wide receiver Jamin Elliott, now a member of the National Football League's Chicago Bears, was selected in 2002.

The University of Delaware Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year will be honored on Wednesday night, May 19, at the annual UD Women's Awards Banquet at Perkins Student Center.

A two-year starter for the Blue Hens after transferring from Georgia Tech, Hall established himself as one of the top quarterbacks not only in Delaware history, but in all of NCAA I-AA football. As a senior, he completed 234 of 378 passes for 2,764 yards and 25 touchdowns and also rushed for 710 yards and eight touchdowns. He led the Blue Hens to a 15-1 record and their first ever NCAA I-AA national title with a 40-0 win over Colgate in the national title game in Chattanooga, TN. The national championship was the sixth in UD football, but the first since the Hens' 1979 NCAA II title.

Hall was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, was a first team All-East selection, was named the Maxwell Football Club's Tri-State Player of the Year, and was a consensus All-American, earning first team honors by the Associated Press and College Sports Television and second team honors by The Sports Network. He was also the CSTV National Offensive Player of the Year and placed third in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, presented to the top offensive player in NCAA I-AA football.

He set school records for completions in a game (28 vs. Massachusetts) and season (234), passing percentage in a career (.574), and total offense in a season (3,474). Despite playing just two seasons for the Blue Hens, he ranks fifth all-time at Delaware in total offensive yards (6,169) and sixth in passing yardage (4,596). He never lost a game as a starter at home, going 15-0 over two seasons.

A consumer economics major who will earn his degree later this month, Hall was selected in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Draft in April, becoming the first signal caller drafted from Delaware since current NFL star Rich Gannon in 1987.

In addition to Hall, the following student-athletes were honored as the team's Outstanding Performer for each sport as voted by team members.

BASEBALL: Senior first baseman Steve Van Note (Atlantic City/Brigantine, NJ) was the winner of the Papp Lukk Award as the UD Alumni Association Team Most Valuable Player. A three-year standout after transferring from the University of Georgia, Van Note has led the Blue Hen baseball team to a record of 28-21 and a berth in next week's Colonial Athletic Association Tournament at Wilmington, NC. After batting .232 with seven home runs and 27 runs batted in during the 2003 season, he is a strong All-CAA candidate this spring, currently batting .338 with 11 home runs, 49 RBI, and a team-high 16 stolen bases.

BASKETBALL: Junior point guard Mike Slattery (Germantown Academy/Wildwood, NJ) was the winner of the Col. C.B. Shaffer Award as the team's Most Valuable Player. A three-year starter and team co-captain, Slattery earned third team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors this past season when he averaged 11.0 points per game and led the CAA with 5.93 assists per game (21st in NCAA) and with a +2.34 assists to turnover ratio. He led the team to a 16-14 record and a berth in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals. He scored 10 or more points 16 times with a high of 24 vs. Virginia Commonwealth and dished out five or more assists 21 times with a high of 10 vs. Drexel. An honor student as a sport management major, he also earned Verizon/CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic honors this past winter.

CROSS COUNTRY/OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD: Senior Patrick Riley (St. Mark's/Newark, DE) was a double winner, earning the Alumni Association Cross Country Most Valuable Player Award for the third straight year and being named the winner of the Fred J. Harmer Alumni Association Men's Outdoor Track and Field Team MVP Award. One of the top distance runners in school history, he was the Blue Hens' top finisher in all eight cross country meets this past fall and was the overall meet champion four times and was second twice. He placed second at the Colonial Athletic Association championships, was second at the IC4A championships, and 18th at the NCAA District 2 Regionals. During the outdoor track and field season, he won the 5,000 meter events at the Monmouth and Maryland invitationals, placed fourth in both the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters at the CAA championships, placed 16th in the 10,000 meters at the Penn Relays, and was 19th at the IC4A championships in the 10,000 meters.

FOOTBALL: Senior safety Mike Adams (Passaic Tech/Paterson, NJ) earned the Baker-Taylor Award as the team MVP. He was initially presented the award in January at the Blue Hen Touchdown Club Banquet. The heart and soul of the Blue Hens in 2003, he served as a co-captain and led Delaware to a 15-1 record and the NCAA I-AA national title. Despite missing parts of four games with a broken bone in his leg, Adams still earned second team All-Atlantic 10 honors after leading the team with four interceptions and ranking seventh on the squad with 70 tackles. He also broke up six other passes, had 2.5 tackles for loss, and blocked a field goal. Last month he signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

GOLF: Freshman Joe McLister (Loudoun County/Leesburg, VA) was the winner of the John J. DeLuca/Scotty Duncan Alumni Association MVP Award. In just his first varsity season, McLister enjoyed outstanding success, leading the Blue Hens with a stroke average of 75.80, the fourth best single season mark in school history, and shooting better than 80 in all but one of his 25 rounds. He posted five top 10 finishes during the season, placing second at the Temple Classic, fourth at the Don Mershon Tournament at Lehigh and at the Scotty Duncan Memorial Tournament at Delaware, and ninth at the Rehoboth Beach (DE) Invitational. He also was second among all UD players with a 30th place finish at the CAA Championships.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD: Senior Jerome Holder (Woodbridge/Bridgeville, DE) earned the Alumni Association MVP Award. A four-year letterwinner as a hurdler and sprinter, Holder enjoyed an outstanding senior indoor season in which he posted three top four finishes in the 60 meter hurdles and qualified for the IC4A Regionals, placing 23rd in the 60 meter hurdles and 22nd in the 4 x 400 meter relay. He also set a school record in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.20. During the outdoor season, Holder placed second in the 110 meter hurdles, third in the 400 meter hurdles, and third in the 4 x 400 meter relay at the Colonial Athletic Championships.

LACROSSE: Senior attackman Matt Alrich (Calvert Hall/Timonium, MD) earned the Alumni Association MVP Award. Delaware's leading scorer the last two seasons, he led the 2004 Blue Hens to a record of 10-6, a berth in the CAA semifinals, and a No. 11 ranking in the USILA Top 20 poll. He earned first team All-CAA honors this spring as he led the Hens in scoring for the second straight year and topped all CAA players with 46 points on 34 goals and 12 assists. He earned second team All-CAA honors in 2003 when he tallied 35 goals and dished out six assists. He became just the 27th player in Delaware history to record 100 points for a career (83 goals & 20 assists) and posted 14 career games with three or more goals.

SOCCER: Freshman defender Matt Haney (St. Elizabeth/Newark, DE) was the Alumni Association MVP. One of the team's most consistent players, he played in all 20 games with 19 starts and spearheaded a defense that posted five shutouts. From his defensive spot, he still was the team's second leading scorer with three goals and one assist. In addition, he was selected as the CAA Rookie of the Week for the week of Oct. 12. An outstanding student, he earned a spot on the CAA Academic Honor Roll this past fall.

SWIMMING & DIVING: Freshman Brendan Spencer (Yorktown/Arlington, VA) earned the Jack and Hugh Dougherty Alumni Association Team MVP Award. One of the team's most versatile performers, Spencer posted the team's best time in the 200 butterfly (2:00.99) and second best time in the 100 freestyle (49.18), 400 individual medley (4:21.99), 100 backstroke (55.51), and 200 backstroke (1:57.96) events. He placed eighth in the 200 freestyle relay, ninth in the 800 freestyle relay, ninth in the 400 medley relay, 10th in the 200 medley relay, 20th in the 200 backstroke, and 26th in the 200 butterfly at the Colonial Athletic Association championships in February.

TENNIS: Sophomore Adam Liebman (Staples/Westport, CT) won the Alexander J. Taylor Alumni Association MVP Award. A second-year regular on the Blue Hens' singles ladder, he posted a mark of 14-11 during the 2003-04 season playing mostly at the No. 3 spot. In doubles, he recorded a mark of 3-3. The Blue Hens posted a 12-11 record, the team's 12th straight season with 10 or more wins, and advanced to the CAA Quarterfinals.

Also honored at the luncheon were the following student-athletes.

• Senior baseball pitcher Mike Mihalik (Parkland/Allentown, PA) earned three awards - the Student Services for Athletes Outstanding Contributor Award, the Perry Burkett Triple Play Award for leadership and special contributions to the UD baseball team, and the ECAC Medal of Merit Award, presented to the senior male letterwinner with the highest grade point index. Mihalik, a co-captain, has led the Blue Hens to a 28-21 record and a berth in the upcoming CAA Tournament. He has a 5-3 record and 4.53 earned run average this season and is Delaware's all-time career strikeout leader with 259. He has a 3.58 grade point index as a geology and geography major. He was also active as a H.E.N.S. (Helping Each Newcomer Succeed) Peer Mentor and as a member of the Student Athlete Advistory Council (SAAC).

• Football co-captain Mike Adams was the winner of the Dr. Janice Jordan Award presented by UD Student Services for Athletes to a student-athlete who has made outstanding progress academically while at Delaware.

• Freshman Rob Panas (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg, PA) earned the swimming team's Thomas Baranello Award as the team's most improved athlete. Panas was 42nd in the 500 freestyle, 52nd in the 100 freestyle, and 55th in the 50 freestyle at the Colonial Athletic Association championships in February and posted the team's seventh best time in the 50 freestyle (23.53) during the season.

• Junior John Tully (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford, NY) earned the Lee J. Hyncik Memorial Award as the junior member of the UD tennis team with the highest grade point index and the Miles Powell Jr. Scholarship presented to standout student-athletes who are also engineering majors at Delaware. A three-year standout for the Blue Hens, Tully posted the team's best singles record this past season with a mark of 18-8 at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots and also recorded a mark of 11-9 in doubles play. He carries a 3.362 grade point index as a computer engineering major.

• Junior co-captain Adam Goldstein (Vernon Township/Highland Lakes, NJ) earned the swimming team's Chuck Ganci Award, presented for special contributions to the team. Goldstein placed ninth in the 800 freestyle relay, 10th in the 400 freestyle relay, 13th in the 1,650 freestyle, and 28th in the 500 freestyle at the 2004 CAA Championships.

• In addition to Tully, also earning Miles Powell Jr. Engineering/Athletics Scholarhips were cross country/track and field sophomore Mike Manlove (Archmere/Hockessin, DE), sophomore swimmer Michael Rasch (Emmaus/Allentown, PA), and junior golfer Dan Spiker (Poolesville/Poolesville, MD). Manlove, a mechanical engineering major, competed for the UD cross country squad and 12th in the 10,000 meters at the CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships; Rasch, a chemical engineering major, placed 10th in the 400 freestyle, 38th in the 200 freestyle, 46th in the 100 freestyle, and 54th in the 50 freestyle at the CAA Swimming Championships this past winter; and Spiker, a civil engineering major, posted the golf team's second best stroke average (76.35) and placed 33rd at the CAA Championships.