ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict athletic department wrapped up another successful year recently when it hosted the 2014-15 Athletic Program on the CSB campus. Blazer and CSB staff recognized student-athletes for their accomplishments on and off the field, pool and courts, including all-conference, all-region and All-American academic and athletic honors.
 
In addition to recognizing All-MIAC athletes, team MVPs and scholar-athletes, several big award winners were announced for 2014-15, including the Blazers' Athlete of the Year and the annual Presidential Award winner.
 
A pair of seniors walked away with the two awards and senior volleyball player Taya Kockelman was named the 2014-15 Blazer Athlete of the Year and golfer Bridget Cummings was named this year's Presidential Award winner.
 
Kockelman was named the athlete of the year after a stellar senior season that wrapped up an impressive career. She earned a third straight All-MIAC, All-Central Region and All-American honor in 2014, and finished in the top five in the NCAA Division III in assists per set for the third straight year. The Blazer volleyball team made it to the national tournament all four years with the help of Kockelman, who was also the team's MVP for three straight seasons.
 
Cummings was given the Presidential Award by CSB President Mary Dana Hinton to wrap up her college career. On the golf course, Cummings finished second on the team with an 81.8 scoring average this season, and she finished 22^nd at the MIAC Championships. She earned All-MIAC as a junior, and holds the third-best 18-hole score in school history. In the classroom, Cummings was on the Dean's List for four years, awarded the John Brandl Scholarship and named a John Robson Scholar, and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society as well as Omicron Kappa Sigma, an economic honors society.
 
Cummings served as the CSB Senate Academic Affairs representative, was chair and treasurer of the College Democrats Club and was one of 140 college students to serve as a White House Intern.
 
Haley Chatelaine, a junior on the Blazer swimming and diving team, was named the 2014-15 Blazer Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The chemistry major has a cumulative GPA of 3.988.
 
Valerie Clintsman, a junior on the Blazer soccer and track and field teams, was given the Sportsmanship Award for 2014-15. Clintsman was given the award after carrying a fellow sprinter off the track after she fell during the 60-meter dash finals at the MIAC Indoor Championships in March.
 
Retiring athletic director Carol Howe-Veenstra was given the Margy Hughes Inspirational Award for her work in Blazer athletics for the last 30 years. Howe-Veenstra was the head volleyball coach at CSB from 1985-99, and took over as AD in 1987, and has helped grow Blazer athletics by adding sports, the Blazer Athletic Hall of Fame and the new HCC.
 
Ten nominees were announced for the Blazer Rookie of the Year Award, and the winner will be announced following the completion of the outdoor track and field season and the announcement of the spring All-MIAC awards. Nominees include Brooke DeMets (soccer); Brigette Miller (hockey); Bailey O'Hotto and Sara Wennerstrand (softball); Kenzie Young (swimming); Niki Fokken (basketball and track); Natalie Frier and Megan Sundstrom (track) and Brooke Rasmussen and Olivia Dengel (cross country and track).