ANCHORAGE - All-America sophomore Rebecca Kielpinski, who led the Alaska Anchorage women's basketball team to one of the finest seasons in school history, was the winner of the 2007 UAA Athlete of the Year Award at the athletic department's 23rd annual end-of-year banquet, Sunday at the Hilton Anchorage Hotel.
Kielpinski, a 6-2 center, was the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year after averaging 14.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. The Mandan, N.D., native boosted the Seawolves to a 23-6 record, a second-place GNAC finish, and a second-round NCAA Tournament berth, earning third-team All-American honors from Women's Div. II Bulletin.
A first-team All-West Region selection, Kielpinski led the GNAC in rebounding and double-doubles (15), and held top-5 ranks in scoring (4th), blocks (2nd) and field-goal percentage (4th, .516). Nationally, she rated 13th in rebounding, 20th in blocks and 42nd in FG%.
Kielpinski was a four-time GNAC Player of the Week, and she captured Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2006 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout as the Seawolves beat Div. I opponents Air Force and UC Riverside.
Kielpinski finished her sophomore season tied for No. 1 on UAA's career double-doubles list with 29. Just 56 games into her career, she also ranks high on the all-time school lists in points (12th, 944), scoring avg. (4th, 16.9), rebounds (8th, 579), rebounding avg. (1st, 10.3), blocks (3rd, 114) and FG% (6th, .508).
Kielpinski is the just the second sophomore (Teri Frankie, 1986) to win the Athlete of the Year award, and the youngest winner ever at 20 years, 4 months. She joins Seawolf Hall-of-Famers Allegra Stoetzel (Butler) and Robin Graul as the only women's basketball players to receive award. The award, sponsored by the Benton Bay Athletic Lions Club and UAA Athletics, is voted on by a committee of UAA Athletics staff, Benton Bay members and local media.
The other 2007 nominees were Chad Anderson (hockey), Luke Cooper, (men's basketball), Chelsey Jones (volleyball), David Kiplagat (men's cross country/track & field), Stefanie Klocker (women's skiing), Rachael Lehmkuhl (gymnastics), Mary Pearce (women's track & field), and Raphael Wunderle (men's skiing).
UAA Athletes of the Year
Year Winner Sport
2007 Rebecca Kielpinski W. Basketball
2006 Kemmy Burgess M. Basketball
2005 Mandy Kaempf W. Skiing/Cross Country Running
2004 Peter Bullock M. Basketball
2003 Tobias Schwoerer M. Skiing/Cross Country Running
2002 Tobias Schwoerer M. Skiing/Cross Country Running
2001 Ed Kirk M. Basketball
2000 Edda Mutter W. Skiing
1999 Jim Hajdukovich M. Basketball
1998 Zuzana Razusova W. Skiing
1997 Frode Lillefjell M. Skiing/Cross Country Running
(tie) Elena Tkacheva Gymnastics
1996 Allegra Stoetzel W. Basketball
1995 Jason Kaiser M. Basketball
(tie) Karen Hoey Gymnastics
1994 Kerry Robitaille Gymnastics
1993 Jennie Szczerbinski Volleyball
1992 Jon Pauole Swimming
1991 Paul Krake Hockey
1990 Teri Frankie Gymnastics
1989 Michael Johnson M. Basketball
1988 Robin Graul W. Basketball
1987 Hansi Gnad M. Basketball
1986 Teri Frankie Gymnastics
1985 Tiina Kantola W. Skiing/Cross Country Running
