LA JOLLA, Calif. – The University of California San Diego men's rowing team held a virtual end of the year banquet over the weekend, celebrating its annual awards.
"The highlight of the banquet was the senior comments," Head Coach
Geoff Bond shared. "Each senior had the chance to speak about his experiences on the crew. They emphasized the key role that connection and camaraderie played in both their long-term commitment to the team and the fun they had each year.
"All the early mornings, even a canceled racing season, strengthened their bond. In my experience, that feeling of deep connection, of learning to trust and in turn becoming trustworthy, is at the heart of team sports. Often they last a lifetime."
Below are the awards as announced at the banquet:
Team Awards
Anthony Rubino Award (Hammer Award) – Steven Bolton
This award is given to the scholar-athlete who, as voted on by his teammates, is the hardest worker. Bolton's hard work during the 2019-20 season echoed his strong work ethic throughout his career, as he competed with the Varsity 8 in his first three years at UC San Diego and earned All-WIRA First Team honors in the previous season.
Most Valuable Teammate Award – Kenneth Padden
This award is given to the scholar-athlete who, as voted on by his teammates, has done the most to lead in word and deed and has had the greatest impact on team culture and success. Padden's leadership was evident as he served as a Triton co-captain, and he was also recently recognized as a UC San Diego Athlete of the Year for his outstanding athletic contributions.
Coaches' Awards
Most Valuable Player Award – Kenneth Padden
In addition to being named the squad's Most Valuable Teammate, the Triton coaching staff selected Padden for the Most Valuable Player Award. The honor recognizes the most outstanding oarsman on the team.
Most Improved Award – Loren Phillips
This award is given to the scholar-athlete who has grown and developed their skills the most. Novice rower Phillips, from Monument Colo., displayed tremendous growth in his first year with UC San Diego.
Isa Batki Award (Scholar-Athlete Award) – Felix Sorokine
This award is given to the scholar-athlete who has combined athletics and academics at the highest level. Sorokine who was last year's Novice MVP, carries a 3.73 GPA as a political science (data analytics) major in Marshall College. After graduating from UC San Diego, Sorokine aspires to go to law school.
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program begins a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide more than 1,300 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 82 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego student-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.
