PORT ANGELES — Nordland’s Grace Johnson and Sequim’s Hope Glasser were among the six athletic award winners announced by the Peninsula College athletic department during their awards event last week.
Johnson, who led the women’s soccer team to an unbeaten spring season and also served as student body vice president, won the Wally Sigmar Award, presented annually to a women’s soccer player who exemplifies leadership, athleticism, academics and citizenship. Jeong Hyun Kang, of Seoul, who served as team captain and helped the men to a North Region best 8-1 record, was the men’s Wally Sigmar winner.
The Art Feiro Awards for basketball players who also stand out for their contributions in the areas of leadership, athleticism, academics and citizenship went to Amari Brown of Anchorage, Alaska, and Keith Seldon of Las Vegas.
“Our Wally Sigmar and Art Feiro award winners were all exceptional student athletes,” said Rick Ross, Associate Dean of Athletics and Stdudent Life, who presented the awards at an in-person ceremony Thursday. “We had so many outstanding young men and women in our athletic program again this year that these four athletes really represented these awards on behalf of their respective teams at the highest level.”
“There were some dark days during this pandemic and we needed leadership within our teams more than ever this year,” Ross added. “It came from many students, but especially from this group. They were patient and rolled with the punches, but they also never dismissed this season as a non-counting one. Our athletes trained hard and played hard all year. I can’t wait to see what they do in the fall when all four programs go after NWAC championships in earnest.”
The athletic program also annually recognizes two freshman female athletes in an award dedicated to the late Annie McMullen, for athletes who exemplify inspiration, dedication, accomplishment and ambassadorship. The 2020-21 winners were Glasser, of Sequim, and Alysia Alvarado, of Sherwood, Ore.
“Hope had a great year and was a shot in the arm for our women’s basketball program that suffered some adversity with injuries and from some athletes suffering from COVID fatigue and leaving the program,” Ross said. “She is such a hard-working and competitive kid that I think it rubbed off on her teammates. They’ve really played over their heads at times as a team and I think they’ve all bought in to just trying to out-work their opponents.”
