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Allison Beam heads up NIU women's golf letterwinners list with third team MVP Award

DeKALB--- For the past three years, Northern Illinois University women's golf coach Pam Tyska has been able to count on the one-two punch of Allison Beam and Tara Hawkins. Unfortunately, Tyska won't have that luxury next year as the senior duo heads




June 25, 2002

ALLISON BEAM HEADS UP NIU WOMEN'S GOLF LETTERWINNERS LIST WITH THIRD TEAM MVP AWARD
DeKALB--- For the past three years, Northern Illinois University women's golf coach Pam Tyska has been able to count on the one-two punch of Allison Beam and Tara Hawkins. Unfortunately, Tyska won't have that luxury next year as the senior duo heads up a list of eight letterwinners from the 2001-02 campaign.

Taking home Most Valuable Performer honors for the third year in a row was Beam (Lafayette, IN / Jefferson) who she captured three team awards. Tops on the squad with her 80.9 strokes per round average, she captured her third Top Dog honor while sharing the Sportswoman Award with Hawkins (Elizabethtown, KY / North Hardin). At the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational, Beam fired a career-low 74 on her way to an NIU season-low 156. Named NIU Senior Athlete of the Year, she had six top-20 finishes, including a tie for fifth at the Notre Dame Invitational.

"We are going to miss Allison and Tara next season," Tyska said. "They have been the backbone of this team for the past three years on and off the course. It speaks volumes that Allison was named Senior Athlete of the Year and Tara set a new standard for Huskie excellence by giving us our highest finish ever at the MAC Championships."

Less than a stroke back with an average of 80.5, Hawkins won the Progress Award as she dropped her average by a stroke from last year and played three shots lower than her career average. Winner of the Captains Award along with Amanda Mapley (Davenport, IA / Bettendorf), Hawkins finished her career in style by placing sixth at the Mid-American Conference Championships, the best finish ever by a Huskie, where she carded a career-low 75 during the first round.

The third Huskie to grab multiple awards was Mapley as she added the Scholar Athlete Award. A Victory Scholar and a two-time member of the National Golf Coaches Association's All-America Scholar Team along with fellow junior Janelle Warrick (Neenah, WI), Mapley carries a 3.93 gpa in accountancy. Senior Kristy Erickson (Moline) won the Coaches Award while her classmate Michelle Hupfer (Crystal Lake / Central) captured the Spirit of the MAC Award.

"I'm very proud that both Amanda and Warrick were able to repeat as NGCA All-America Scholars," Tyska added. "The NGCA has the toughest selection criteria of all NCAA sports and Amanda and Janelle are among a very talented list of players. They have not only brought national recognition to our program through their efforts, but they are also first class ambassadors for Northern Illinois University."

Next season the Huskies return four letterwinners from this year's squad and will welcome five incoming freshmen, the biggest class in Tyska's 17-year tenure.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS WOMEN'S GOLF 2001-02 TEAM AWARDS
Most Valuable Performer: Allison Beam (Lafayette, IN / Jefferson)
Top Dog: Allison Beam (Lafayette, IN / Jefferson)
Progress Award: Tara Hawkins (Elizabethtown, KY / North Hardin)
Sportswoman Award: Tara Hawkins (Elizabethtown, KY / North Hardin), Allison Beam (Lafayette, IN / Jefferson)
Scholar Athlete Award: Amanda Mapley (Davenport, IA / Bettendorf)
Captain Award: Tara Hawkins (Elizabethtown, KY / North Hardin), Amanda Mapley (Davenport, IA / Bettendorf)
Coaches Award: Kristy Erickson (Moline)
Spirit of the MAC Award: Michelle Hupfer (Crystal Lake / Central)

Northern Illinois University 2001-02 Women's Golf Letterwinners (# -- indicates number of letters earned): ####-Allison Beam (Lafayette, IN / Jefferson), ####-Kristy Erickson (Moline), ####-Tara Hawkins (Elizabethtown, KY / North Hardin), ####- Michelle Hupfer (Crystal Lake / Central), ###-Amanda Mapley (Davenport, IA / Bettendorf), ##-Erin Swisher (Rockford / Guilford), ###-Janelle Warrick (Neenah, WI), #-Irish Whalen (Hanover / River Ridge).

-Copy by Michael Smoose -30-