Moravian Holds Annual Senior Athletics Awards Banquet

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College honored its 2013 senior student-athletes at the annual Senior Athletics Awards Banquet Wednesday night in Johnston Hall. Women's track & field standout Micah Leonard was named the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete while football and men's track & field performer Travis King was honored with the Outstanding Senior Male Athlete award. The Blue & Grey Scholar Athlete awards were presented to women's soccer student-athlete Eileen Black and men's soccer player Nick Hurff. The H.T.D. Gillespie Award for outstanding service to Moravian's athletics program was presented to John and Mary Ann Williams.

Leonard was recently honored as the Lehigh Valley Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Outstanding Field Athlete in track & field and was also Moravian's LVAIAW Outstanding Athlete for the school. During the indoor season, she earned All-America honors for the fifth time in her career as she placed fifth in the triple jump at the 2013 NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships hosted by North Central (Ill.) College. She was also named the Landmark Conference Indoor Field Athlete of the year for the third straight season. Two weeks ago, Leonard helped Moravian win its sixth straight Landmark Conference Outdoor Championship, and she was named the Field Athlete of the Year. Leonard won the long jump with an ECAC qualifying mark of 5.69 meters (18 feet, eight inches), a career best that moved her to tenth place on the Track & Field Results Reporting System list that will have the top 22 individuals and top 16 relay teams at the end of the season in each event heading to the NCAA Division III National Championships at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. On Sunday, Leonard won the triple jump for the fourth straight year with an ECAC qualifying, Moravian and Landmark Conference record distance of 12.14 meters (39 feet, ten inches), a distance that moves her to third on the TFRRS list. Leonard was also the runner-up in the high jump at 1.52 meters (four feet, 11 ¾ inches).

King, who competes in all three seasons between football and track & field, has enjoyed an outstanding senior year. On the football field, King was named to the Centennial All-Conference First Team as a defensive back, and he was also honored on the Centennial Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll and the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society. King, who played in 37 of 41 possible football games in his career, led the 2012 Greyhound squad with 77 tackles to go with six and a half tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions including a 45-yard return for a touchdown, six passes defended and four forced fumbles. This fall, King also returned 13 kickoffs for 248 yards and 11 punts for 88 yards. He finished his career with 187 tackles including 117 solo stops to go with 13 and a half tackles for loss, one sack, 21 passes defended with ten interceptions, which ranks tenth in school history, including two returned for touchdowns, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. King set the Moravian career records for kickoff returns at 65, and yards at 1,317, and he also returned 37 punts for 323 yards.

When the seasons changed, King took to jumping for the track & field team. During the indoor season, he was the runner-up in the triple jump and on Moravian's second place 4x200-meter relay team to earn Landmark All-Conference honors in both events. He was also named the 2013 Landmark Conference Senior Scholar-Athlete for men's indoor track & field. At this spring's outdoor championship, King helped Moravian win the 4x100-meter relay championship, and he was the runner-up in the triple jump, an event he was trying to win for the fourth straight year. King is a six-time member of the Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll and has also made the Landmark All-Academic Team twice.

Black was the LVAIAW Women's Soccer Most Outstanding Athlete last week. She helped Moravian to a 10-9-2 record while playing in the Landmark Conference Championship match, and reaching the ECAC Division III South Quarterfinals. Black earned a number of postseason awards last fall including being named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America 2012 Women's College Division Scholar All-East Region Third Team, the NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team, Landmark Conference Defensive Player of the Year and being named to the Landmark All-Conference First Team and Fall All-Academic Team. Black, who was a four-time Landmark All-Conference selection with First Team selections in 2010 and 2013 and Second Team honors in 2009 and 2011, had 14 goals and five assists for 33 career points while playing in 77 career matches including four goals and two assists as a senior. Black has a 3.53 grade point average, and majoring in mathematics and elementary education.

Hurff was a four-year letterwinner and starting midfielder for the Greyhounds' men's soccer team. He played in 15 matches this season, starting nine, and Hurff has played in 65 career matches with 34 starts. Hurff has been on the Dean's List six times and is pursuing for a career in the military after he completes his degree. He was also on the 2011 Landmark Conference Fall All-Academic Team. Hurff has a 3.72 grade point average and majoring in environmental science with a minor in Spanish.

The husband and wife couple the Williams' have attended many of Moravian's home athletic events over the years, and both have served as  "Guest Coaches" for several of the Greyhound teams. Mary Ann recently retired from her position as the Director of Administrative Services for the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges. John will retire from his position as Moravian's Director of Seminary Advancement.