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Student-Athlete of the Year
| 2012-13 Female Student-Athlete of the Year | 2012-13 Male Student-Athlete of the Year |
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Sarah Plantz |
Gilbert Kemboi |
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Plantz turned in a tremendous season in goal for the Upstate women’s soccer team, finishing the season as the top goalkeeper in the A-Sun and one of the top statistical keepers in the country. Playing more than 1,500 minutes, she was ranked ninth in the nation with 122 saves when Upstate’s season ended and finished the year 15th overall. She recorded nine or more saves in five matches on the season and recorded two shutouts along the way. She topped all A-Sun keepers in total saves and saves per game en route to earning A-Sun Goalkeeper of the Year honors and first team all-conference accolades, the first women’s soccer player to earn a major individual award and all-conference honors from the A-Sun. She has also cemented herself as one of the top keepers in the history of the program and with a year of eligibility remaining, ranks fifth all-time in saves and within striking distance of the all-time record. Plantz has also excelled as a student. A two-time A-Sun All-Academic team member, she is also an A-Sun Conference Scholar, carrying a 3.566 cumulative GPA as a criminal justice major. In addition to her athletic and academic performance, she has also been active in the community. She has worked with the women’s soccer team in their soccer clinics for underprivileged children, the team’s cancer initiatives, has volunteered at the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen and has been a member of the USC Upstate Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Plantz is the first women’s soccer player to be named Student-Athlete of the Year at Upstate. |
Kemboi not only added to his lengthy resume in 2012-13, he punctuated it and cemented his place in Upstate lore as one of the best student-athletes in the 45-year history of athletics at the University. Excelling as a multiple-sport athlete in cross country and track & field, Kemboi began his record-setting year by leading the men’s cross country team to its second straight A-Sun Championship while defending his third individual conference title. He advanced to the NCAA Nationals, becoming the first Spartan to advance to an NCAA National Championship, and missed out on All-America honors by two positions. His excellence continued in the winter when he successfully defended his championships in the 3,000 and 5,000 meter races at the A-Sun Indoor Track & Field Championships, breaking his own A-Sun record time in the 5,000 meters. In 2012-13 alone, he has won three individual championships, was named the A-Sun Runner of the Year in cross country and the Most Outstanding Track Athlete of the Year in indoor track & field, and earned four all-conference honors, and he still has the 2013 A-Sun Outdoor Track & Field Championships to come next month. He also excelled academically and was named the A-Sun Scholar-Athlete of the Year in cross country and indoor track & field while owning a cumulative GPA of 3.545 as a sociology major. He is a three-time member of the A-Sun All-Academic team and is an A-Sun Conference Scholar. Kemboi has also been active in the community, continuing his work on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the USC Upstate orientation staff, International Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and working in Spartanburg with the Spartanburg Foster Parents Association, Ignite and Spartanburg Boys and Girls Club outreach organizations. For his excellence as a student and athlete, Kemboi was awarded the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, the first USC Upstate student-athlete to ever receive the prestigious scholarship. For his career, Kemboi has won 12 A-Sun individual championships, 14 all-conference honors, five A-Sun Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards and owns three A-Sun records. He is the fourth Spartan to receive two Student-Athlete of the Year honors at Upstate. |
| Previous Female Student-Athlete of the Year Selections | Previous Male Student-Athlete of the Year Selections | ||
| 2011-12 | Jemeli Sang, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field | 2011-12 | Toeery Craig, Men's Basketball |
| Gilbert Kemboi, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field | |||
| 2010-11 | Morgan Childers, Softball | 2010-11 | Michael Meissner, Track |
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2009-10 |
Morgan Childers, Softball |
2009-10 | Josh Gallman, Golf |
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2008-09 |
Anna Novo, Tennis |
2008-09 | Bobby Davis, Basketball |
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2007-08 |
Anna Novo, Tennis |
2007-08 | Josh Gallman, Golf |
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Luke Payne, Basketball | |
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2006-07 |
Diana Martinez, Tennis |
2006-07 | Stefan Dumitrescu, Tennis |
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2005-06 |
Shannon Pallardy, Basketball/Volleyball |
2005-06 | Diego Sist, Tennis |
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Yakeeshia Ross, Basketball |
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2004-05 |
Krista Altom, Softball |
2004-05 | Gary Lynch, Soccer |
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2003-04 |
Erin Kopec, Volleyball |
2003-04 | Travis Smith, Cross Country |
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2002-03 |
Kristina Ribicic, Tennis |
2002-03 | Marlon Grant, Soccer |
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2001-02 |
Kendall Harper, Volleybal |
2001-02 | Brandon Cantrell, Cross Country |
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2000-01 |
Becky Greiling, Volleyball |
2000-01 | Brandon Williams, Soccer |
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1999-00 |
Carmen Tebbe, Volleyball |
1999-00 | Henrik Ronnevig, Soccer |
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1998-99 |
Sara Henrichs, Volleyball |
1998-99 | Kalle Siira, Soccer |
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1997-98 |
Kelly Bowden, Cross Country |
1997-98 | Paul Zigalich, Soccer |
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Lindsay Richardson, Volleyball |
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1996-97 |
Heather Abrams, Basketball |
1996-97 | Carlos Bryson, Basketball |
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Josh Martin, Soccer | |
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1995-96 |
Michelle Graham, Basketball, Volleyball |
1995-96 | Kasper Nielsen, Tennis |
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1994-95 |
Rachel Ramsdale, Basketball |
1994-95 | Scott Halkett, Soccer |
