Jan. 4, 2006
The winner of the L.F. “Tow” Diehm Inspirational Award for 2004-05 is Nick Speegle, while Kristen Winters is the recipient of the Leslie Self Inspirational Award.
Started in 1997-98, the awards are presented annually to UNM male and female student-athletes based on leadership, character, determination and commitment to team.
This year’s recipients will be recognized before the Lobo men’s basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 21, against Air Force. Presenting the awards will be Tow’s wife, Pearl, and Randy Self.
Barely recruited out of La Cueva High School six years ago, Nick Speegle is a young man who never even thought he would play Div. I-A football, let alone make it professionally.
However, Speegle took full advantage of the opportunity after Rocky Long offered him a scholarship to attend the University of New Mexico.
Nick graduated from UNM in four years with a cumulative GPA of 3.97 and he was an academic all-conference selection four straight years.
Speegle broke into the starting lineup at outside linebacker midway through his freshman season. He ended up starting the final 42 games and was a first team all-conference selection in 2004. Nick ranks 14th all-time at UNM with 317 career tackles.
Speegle never missed any significant time on the field despite playing through a variety of injuries like bruised ribs, a nasty gash on his chin and a separated shoulder.
All of Nick’s grit, drive, determination and education paid off in the spring of 2005 when he was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the NFL Draft where he recently completed his rookie season.
Speegle’s commitment to the community was equally stellar: He was a four-year volunteer for The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure, a volunteer coach at clinics, churches and elementary schools, a guest speaker at banquets and schools and a Special Olympics volunteer.
A native of Lakewood, Colo., Kristen Winters just completed her final season of eligibility as the starting goalkeeper for the Lobo women’s soccer team.
Winters was told that she may never play competitively again after suffering a badly broken leg before her freshman year at UNM. She did return, however, only to be struck by a car while riding her bike to school. She perservered yet again and became one of the best keepers in school history, setting records in almost every major category.
A three-year team captain, Winters helped the Lobos break the school record for fewest goals allowed in a season at 15. She also had two huge shutouts over top-25 ranked teams in No. 6 BYU and No. 22 Utah. The win over Utah came in the semifinals of the 2005 MWC Tournament, sending the Lobos to the MWC championship game for just the second time.
Winters is an academic all-conference honoree and an MWC Scholar Athlete. She ended her career playing in 76 games with 75 starts.
The late Tow Diehm served the University of New Mexico for 40 years, most of that time spent as the head athletics trainer. He was also an athletics administrator and a lobbyist for the department to the New Mexico state legislature. Tow passed away on May 1, 1998.
Leslie Self was the wife of Randy Self, who is the former President of the Lobo Club and owner of Spectator’s Sports Bar and Grille. Leslie also passed away in 1998 after a long battle with cancer.
Previous Winners
Tow Diehm Award
1997-98 Pepe Caballero – tennis
1998-99 Marcos White – basketball
1999-00 Daniel Reyes – football
2000-01 Brian Smith – basketball
2001-02 Jarrod Baxter – football
2002-03 Dusty Young – baseball
2003-04 Divan Coetzee – tennis
2004-05 Nick Speegle – football
Leslie Self Award
1997-98 Tamika Stukes – basketball
1998-99 Aimee Hites – tennis
1999-00 Nikki Heckroth – basketball
2000-01 Quinn Michie – swimming
2001-02 Kristi Larsen – golf
2002-03 Jennier Delich – skiing
2003-04 Amanda Barnes – track and field; Cassie Chavez – softball; Nicole Overeem – swimming
2004-05 Kristen Winters – soccer