Athletics | 12/13/2008 6:05:04 PM

WOU fall winners will be honored at a basketball game in January

MONMOUTH, Ore. - The Marquis Spas Athletes of the Year for Western Oregon's five fall sports have been selected by their respective coaches. The winners will be introduced to fans at halftime of the January 22 men's basketball game against Alaska Anchorage.

This is the fourth year that Marquis Spas has sponsored the Athlete of the Year program. One person will be selected from each sport during the 2008-09 seasons to receive the award, and a Marquis Spas Male and Female Athlete of the Year will be selected at end of school year.

Maggie Kuzmer was a four-year starter on the soccer field for WOU during her career, starting in 69 matches since arriving on campus in 2005. She was a three-time GNAC honorable mention honoree and is a two-time GNAC All-Academic team selection. The Vancouver, Wash. native (Columbia River High School) had 11 goals and four assists during her career, including five goals this season.

Matt Cox was selected by his coaches at the Marquis Spas Athlete of the Year for Football. A senior defensive tackle, Cox was tabbed as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and he was a unanimous first team All-GNAC selection. The four-year starter is the GNAC's all-time leader in quarterback sacks (27.5) and tackles-for-loss (58.5). He ranked fifth among all NCAA Division II players in TFL and is eighth in QB sacks. The Salem native (North Salem High School) has also been selected to play in the NCAA Division II Cactus Bowl next month in Texas.

Stacey Bennett earned honorable mention honors on the NCAA Division II All-America team this fall in volleyball. She is Western Oregon's first-ever All-American at the NCAA level. Bennett was also named to the Daktronics West Region second team, also the first WOU player to earn this honor. In conference she was selected first team All-GNAC. The Westview High School alum (Portland) also excelled in the classroom, earning CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine All-District VIII first team recognition. She also earned GNAC Academic All-Star honors for the third straight season.

Chris Reed is the Marquis Spas Athlete of the Year for men's cross country. A sophomore from Klamath Union High School in Klamath Falls, Reed was WOU's top runner at the NCAA Division II West Regional, placing 16th. He was the Wolves' first or second place runner in every meet during the 2008 season. He placed 12th at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships and won the Bush Park Invitational in Salem.

For the second year in a row, Jessica Harper is the Marquis Spas award winner for women's cross country. The senior was WOU's top runner in all but one meet this year, including a 37th place run at the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships. The Oregon City native is a two-time All-GNAC Academic honoree, and on the track she is Western Oregon's school record holder in the steeplechase.

All Marquis Spas Athlete of the Year awards were selected by the coaching staffs of each sport. Each student-athlete's name will be placed on a perpetual plaque that will be on display in WOU's Physical Education Building.