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Downer/Hopper Awards

DH_Winners_2425
 
Illinois College Downer and Hopper Awards

Beginning in 1967, Illinois College began awarding the William J. Downer Award. The award recognizes the outstanding male student-athlete of the year at Illinois College and was established in 1967 by Robert "Bob" Edward Downer '64 and James "Jim" Mitchell Downer '66 in honor of their father.

In 1978, Illinois College added the Doris B. Hopper Award. This award recognizes the outstanding female student-athlete of the year at Illinois College. The award was established in 1977 by Dean Doris Broehl Hopper '41, who was instrumental in developing the women's intercollegiate athletic program.

Here, in chronological order, are the past winners of the William J. Downer and Doris B. Hopper Awards:
 
William J. Downer Award Doris B. Hopper Award
1967
Phil Snowden '68
Football
1968
Tom Rowland '68
Football
1969
Charles Martin '69
Basketball
1970
Bill Albach '70
Football
1971
Oscar Young '71
Basketball
1972
Ron Summers '74
Track and Field

Bob Hacquet '73
Football
1973
Ron Summers '74
Track and Field
1974
Ron Summers '74
Track and Field
1975
Ron Petefish '75
Baseball
1976
Ed Willhite '77
Football
1977
Andy Winkelmann '77
Football
1978
Gale Vaughn '78
Football
1978
Hazel Gates
Basketball/Track/Volleyball/Tennis
1979
Travis Wilson '81
Baseball
1979
Patsy Hanes '80
Volleyball/Tennis
1980
Jay Wessler '81
Football
1980
Bonnie Kellerman '81
Volleyball/Basketball/Track
1981
Jay Wessler '81
Football
1981
Karen Kaiser '80
Volleyball/Basketball/Track/Softball
1982
Joe Aiello '82
Football
1982
Cheri Callahan '83
Volleyball/Basketball
1983
Greg Havlin '85
Basketball
1983
Laurie Black '84
Volleyball/Softball
1984
Del Sutter '87
Baseball
1984
Jo Lehmkuhl '84
Basketball
1985
Joey Lee '86
Wrestling
1985
Carol Johnson '86
Basketball
1986
Nick Lawless '87
Football
1986
Devi McCurley '87
Volleyball/Basketball
1987
Tim Mitchell '87
Track and Field
1987
Kim Harkrader '89
Volleyball
1988
David Earhart
Basketball
1988
Valerie Leitschuh '90
Basketball/Volleyball/Softball
1989
Brian Becker '90
Football
1989
Valerie Leitschuh '90
Basketball/Volleyball/Softball
1990
Jeff Vacca '91
Wrestling
1990
Kathy Roberts '91
Basketball/Track
1991
Michael Carter '91
Football
1991
Mary Camerer '91
Basketball
1992
Fred Peters '92
Basketball
1992
Kimberly Houston '92
Volleyball/Softball
1993
Blair Ackman '93
Football
1993
Jennifer Aggertt '92
Volleyball
1994
Rodney Flowers '95
Football
1994
Vickie Meiners '93
Basketball
1995
Brian Rhoades '96
Basketball
1995
Erin Bagent '95
Soccer
1996
James Bogard '97
Baseball
1996
Becca Thorne '95
Volleyball
1997
Daniel Cliburn '97
Wrestling
1997
Joana Ramsey '98
Volleyball
1998
Andrew Keller '98
Soccer
1998
Angie Sapp '97
Basketball
1999
Dane Wear '02
Football
1999
Mandy Stewart '99
Volleyball
2000
Gregory Lehman '01
Wrestling
2000
Martha Vest '99
Basketball
2001
Matthew Espenschied '02
Basketball
2001
Addie Ahlemeyer '00
Basketball/Golf
2002
Derek Leonard '03
Football
2002
Adrienne Dickerson '03
Basketball
2003
Dustin Devening '04
Football/Baseball
2003
Abigail Suter '02
Soccer
2004
Dustin Devening '04
Football/Baseball
2004
Adrienne Dickerson '03
Basketball
2005
Brian Short '05
Football
2005
Carey Cappel '07
Golf/Softball
2006
Jon Howard '07
Football
2006
Lindsay Stauder '06
Softball/Basketball
2007
Jon Howard '07
Football
2007
Carey Cappel '07
Golf/Softball
2008
Joe Reed '08
Football
2008
Candace Norville '10
Basketball/Track/Tennis
2009
Michael Jennings '10
Football
2009
Candace Norville '10
Basketball/Track/Tennis
2010
Michael Jennings '10
Football
2010
Candace Norville '10
Basketball/Soccer/Track/Tennis
2011
Jacob Tucker '11
Basketball
2011
Melissa Norville '13
Volleyball/Track
2012
Brock Thompson '12
Football
2012
Melissa Norville '13
Volleyball/Track
2013
Trevor Donahue '14
Soccer
2013
Melissa Norville '13
Volleyball/Track
2014
Cecil Brimmage '14
Football
2014
Ofuma Eze-Echesi '14
Track & Field
2015
Michael Bates '15
Football
2015
Hannah McGinnis '15
Basketball
2016
Cain Brady '17
Baseball
2016
Bianca Savarese '16
Soccer
2017
Austin Ellsworth '17
Football
2017
Andrea Hyde '20
Track & Field
2018
Greg Cross '18
Football/Track & Field
2018
Andrea Hyde '20
Track & Field
2019
Miguel Vaca '19
Tennis
2019
Andrea Hyde '20
Track & Field
2020
Anthony Flores '20
Track & Field
2020
Andrea Hyde '20
Track & Field
2021
Bailey Reed '22
Baseball
2021
Sydney Hood '22
Softball
2022
Will Ross '25
Track & Field
2022
Emma Newton '22
Softball
2023
Jarrett James '25
Golf
2024
Collin Brunstein '24
Football
2025
Dylan Doss '27
Track & Field
2023
Julia Drake '24
Softball
2024
Deja Anderson '28
Track & Field
2025
Jordan Closs '26
Softball