Past Winners

PORTLAND, Ore. --- The University of Portland has selected women’s soccer standout Danielle Foxhoven and baseball star pitcher Chris Dennis as its 2009-10 Fr. Chester Prusynski Student-Athletes of the Year. The award annually recognizes the top University of Portland student-athletes based on athletic and academic credentials.

Foxhoven concluded her sophomore season on The Bluff and was the national leader in points per game (2.82) and All-America honoree for the second consecutive season. Dennis, a junior right-hander, had a spectacular first year at Portland as he became the school’s career leader in saves (14) and was one of five finalists for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Award.

Foxhoven concluded her sophomore season with the Pilots by earning unanimous All-America honors and was also No. 2 nationally in goals per game (1.1). She scored 25 goals with 12 assists and her 62 total points were tied for fourth in UP single-season history. Foxhoven became the first player in school history with multiple four-goal games in the same season and one of four UP players with three or more hat tricks in one year. She is already tied for seventh in UP history in career points (100) and goals (41).

The Littleton, Colo. native also was a College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America First team honoree and member of the West Coast Conference All-Academic Team. Foxhoven posts a 3.42 cumulative grade-point average and is a business major.

Dennis made his first year on campus a memorable one after transferring from Edmonds Community College. He earned the role of closer during fall practices and had a record-breaking spring. His 14 saves established not only a new UP single-season record, but also a career record, and tied for third in the nation. Dennis earned spots on the NCBWA and Louisville Slugger All-America Teams and was an All-WCC First Team selection. He posted a 5-1 record with a 1.88 earned run average as opponents struggled to a .204 batting average against the right-hander. Dennis struck out 51 batters in 43.0 innings of relief.

A native of Bothell, Wash., Dennis has a 3.76 cumulative grade-point average and is majoring in finance. He was a WCC Commissioner’s Honor Roll Gold Award recipient after posting a 3.66 GPA during his first year on The Bluff.

Foxhoven becomes the tenth consecutive soccer player to win the award on the women’s side, while Dennis is the first baseball player to take the honor since Ben Ortman was recognized in 1993.

The Fr. Chester Prusynski Student-Athlete of the Year award is the most prestigious University honor for student-athletes and is presented annually to one male and one female who have excelled both in athletics and in the classroom. Winners are selected by a vote of athletic administrators and head coaches. The name of the award was changed in the summer of 2010 in honor of Rev. Chester Prusynski, C.S.C., who has served the University community and been a fixture at Pilot athletic events since 1964.