by John Vittas
Mike Shawaryn won the Talbot T. Speer Award Tuesday night at the “Terp Awards” in College Park.
The Speer Award is given to the male student-athlete whose extraordinary commitment and dedication serves as an inspiration to teammates, coaches and fellow student-athletes.
Shawaryn was also a nominee for the Male Most Outstanding Athlete, but fell to Terps kicker and Lou Groza Award winner Brad Craddock. Craddock hit 18-of-19 field goals in 2015. He put together a string of 24 consecutive made field goals, which included a 57 yarder against Ohio State.
(Photo: Alexander Jonesi)
Maryland baseball also garnered three other nominations.
The team was nominated for Team of the Year, but lost to Women’s Lacrosse. Led by Female Player of the Year Taylor Cummings, the Terps women’s lacrosse team finished the regular season 17-1, earning the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They won the National Championship in 2014.
John Szefc was a nominee for Men’s Team Coach of the Year, but lost to basketball coach Mark Turgeon. Turgeon was the Big Ten Coach of the Year and led the Terps’ hoopsters to the second largest turnaround in the country.
Kevin Smith was one of four finalists for Male Rookie of the Year. The award went to freshman phenom Melo Trimble, who led the resurgence of the basketball program. Trimble led Maryland with 16.2 points-per-game and was named a Freshman All-American.
