Rachel Coleman (women's track and field/soccer), Sophie May (women's swimming), and Griffin McMann (men's track and field) have been chosen as recipients of the Ronald Kichline Prize.
The Ehret Prize is awarded annually to a senior (or seniors) who have excelled in athletics.
Coleman has been a four-year standout sprinter for the track and field team, tallying 10 Centennial Conference medals in her career. She is a three-time conference relay champion, including back-to-back indoor 4x200 titles in addition to the 4x100 at the outdoor championships this spring. Like senior counterpart Gianna Speranza, one of the recipients of the Ehret Prize, Coleman is a 15-time CC place-winner.
Coleman was also a contributor on the women's soccer team, compiling 32 appearances and nine starts across her three seasons. She consistently received Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll recognition during all three sport seasons.
May is the one of the most decorated swimmers in Ursinus history, a seven-time All-American and 10-time Centennial Conference champion – all in only two seasons of competition. The 2018 CC rookie of the year owns five conference records – the 100 free as well as relay marks in the 200 medley, 200 free, 400 free, and 800 free – and helped lead the Bears to a pair of team championships. May also boasts program standards in all five of those events, as well as three Elliott Pool records.
A captain of the 2020-21 squad and a standout in the classroom, May is a two-time College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-American. She collected five All-America laurels as a sophomore at the 2019 NCAA Championships, propelling Ursinus to a 17th-place finish and 75 team points – both the highest in school history. Her final All-America total of seven leaves her in a tie for second in Ursinus lore with Peyten Lyons '19 and Jennifer Derstine. Clara Baker '19 is the all-time leader with 12.
McMann wrapped up his championship career in historic fashion, sweeping the discus, hammer, and shot put at the outdoor meet to become the first athlete in Centennial history to win three throwing events at the same championship. His unprecedented treble powered the Bears to a third-place finish and a program-record 147 points.
After winning gold in the hammer, McMann became the first Ursinus outdoor shot put champion since Marquis Wilson in 2014.
McMann then became the first Ursinus man to capture conference gold in the discus, outdistancing McDaniel's silver medalist by nearly 10 feet to cap his dominant individual display. In addition to making program history, McMann also etched his name into the record books as one of six men in CC history – and the first since 2011 – to pull off the discus-shot put double.
McMann ends his championship career as a five-time Centennial Conference champion and a six-time medalist. His throwing career is not done yet, however – he currently ranks 39th in Division III in the discus and 40th in the shot put, putting himself in position to chase a bid to the NCAA outdoor championships.
Remaining Awards Schedule
Wednesday, May 12: Olive Sargeant Hamm Award
Thursday, May 13: Director of Athletics Award
Friday, May 14: Outstanding Senior Athletes