Jan. 14, 2009
The winners of the L.F. “Tow” Diehm Inspirational Award for 2007-08 are Jeremy Johnson and John Sullivan, while Tori Clarridge and Katie Coronado are the recipients of the Leslie Self Inspirational Award.
Started in 1997-98, this is the 11th year the awards have been presented to UNM male and female student-athletes based on leadership, character, determination and commitment to team.
This year’s recipients will be recognized before an upcoming Lobo men’s basketball game. Presenting the awards will be Tow’s daughter, Teresa Austin, and Randy Self.
Jeremy Johnson finished his collegiate career as one of the greatest long distance runners the University of New Mexico has ever had. Johnson was a three-time All-American, once in cross country and twice at the NCAA Outdoor Championships where he finished seventh in the 10,000 meters in 2007 and 2008.
All-American John Sullivan led the nation in field goals in 2007. |
The Albuquerque Manzano product became the second Lobo to earn All-America honors in back-to-back years in the 10,000, joining former teammate Matt Gonzales. Johnson graduated from UNM in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.
John Sullivan had a real-life Hollywood story unfold in the fall of 2007. A former walk-on, Sullivan went from a virtual unknown to the third consensus All-America honoree in program history in the span of one semester.
Suffering what many thought was a career-ending torn ACL during spring practice, Sullivan made a stunning recovery without surgery. He set a school and conference record, and led the nation with 29 field goals. Sullivan became the third Lobo to be named a consensus All-America, joining Terance Mathis (1989) and Brian Urlacher (1999).
Sullivan led the nation with an average of 2.42 field goals per game. After a 1-3 start to his career, he hit a school record 18 consecutive field goals.
Tori Clarridge was a four-year athletic and academic all-Mountain West Conference performer for the Lobo women’s swimming team. A team captain as a senior, Clarridge was a member of four UNM record-setting relay teams.
Tori Clarridge was a four-time all-conference honoree in the pool and in the classroom. |
A native of Barrie, Ontario, Canada, Clarridge graduated from UNM with a 3.65 grade-point- average and a degree in Nursing. She currently works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of New Mexico Hospital.
As a junior at UNM, Katie Coronado finished second in the javelin at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a school record throw of 179′ 6″. Coronado recorded the highest NCAA Championship finish in UNM women’s history.
A native of Ruidoso, N.M., Coronado’s magical 2008 season finally came to an end last summer when she finished sixth in the women’s javelin finals at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
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
2005-06 Chris Carlson – baseball; Lars Loeseth – skiing/soccer
2006-07 Robb Bierbaum – golf
2007-08 Jeremy Johnson – cross country/track and field; John Sullivan – 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 Jennifer Delich – skiing
2003-04 Amanda Barnes – track and field; Cassie Chavez – softball; Nicole Overeem – swimming
2004-05 Kristen Winters – soccer
2005-06 Maja Kovacek – tennis
2006-07 Terryn Granados – soccer; Jen Hale – swimming
2007-08 Katie Coronado – track and field; Tori Clarridge – swimming