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Athletes of the Year feted tonight
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Posted on Feb 18 2009
The best performers of 2008 will be announced tonight and will be honored at the NMASA Annual Sports Banquet to be held at Saipan Grand Hotel.
The Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association will be naming the 2008 Male and Female Athletes of the Year, Male and Female Student Athletes of the Year, and the Coach of the Year.
Also, NMASA will induct a new member to the CNMI Sports Hall of Fame.
NMASA had already made the selection for the various awards during the group’s monthly meeting, two weeks ago.
Seven athletes battled for the 2008 Male Athlete of the Year Award.
They were swimming’s Rezne Wong, tennis’ Ji Hoon Heo, triathlon’s Eli Torgeson and Tyce Mister, athletics’ Jack Kabiriel, baseball’s Nicky San Nicolas, and basketball’s Jericho Cruz.
The 2008 Female Athlete of the Year was contested by eight athletes.
Swimming and triathlon had the most nominees with three apiece, while football and athletics had one apiece.
Nominees from swimming were Sarah Johnson, Marystar Welch, and Grace Kimball. Triathlon had Mieko Carey, Maimi Shimizu, and Maimi Oshima-Berger. Completing the list were Yvonne Bennett of athletics and Becca Newman of soccer.
The 2008 Male Student Athlete of the Year had the most nominees with
The list included Ji Hoon Heo, Rafael Jones, Kai Staal, Christian Miller, Trevor Ogumoro, Kensuke Kimura, Caleb Arriola, Raphael Zapanta, and Jericho Cruz.
Saipan Swim Club’s Abigail Martinsen and Kimball, tracksters Jacque Wonenberg and Lia Rangamar, Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan’s Marystar Welch and Angel Marie Tan, tennis’ Thea Minor and basketball’s Roxanne Duenas were the nominees for the 2008 Female Student Athlete of the Year award.
The Coach of the Year and the inductee to the CNMI Sports Hall of Fame were decided as early as January, but NMASA withheld the announcement of the selection to surprise the winners.
Meanwhile, NMASA president Michael White said the ceremony will start at 7pm and members of the CNMI Sports Hall of Fame and past athletes of the year awardees are welcome to join the event.
“Tonight is an opportunity to celebrate sports in the CNMI, and honored those who have contributed to it,” White said.
