by J.R. Gonsalves
Assistant Sports Editor
Honors that the University of La Verne awards to its most outstanding athletes were awarded this year to seniors Amber Hall and Gabe Duran.
Hall, who excelled in two sports, was honored with the Jessie Iles Scafani Award. Hall was one of the top performers in both soccer, where she started at fullback, and in softball, where she was a starting pitcher.
“It’s one of those things that reminds you how good your teams were. I would have never got this award without them,” Hall said. “I am totally excited that I got it and it makes me even happier, because I know all of my hard work paid off.”
Hall is now graduating, and she feels that winning this award is a great way to finish her career at La Verne.
Duran was honored with the Anthony P. Scafani trophy for his stand out play as the starting point guard for the ULV men’s basketball team this season.
“What Gabe Duran brings to our program is his leadership qualities. He is always on time everyday to practice,” said head men’s basketball coach Terry Boesel. “He comes everyday, and he is the same. He doesn’t have his ups and downs.”
Boesel added that Duran is not going to score 20 points a game or grab 10 rebounds, but what he did do was lead his team. Duran was the floor leader and kept his team composed during all of the tough stretches that occurred during a game.
“I was really surprised that I got this award,” Duran said. However, Duran admitted that he was excited about winning the award.
Every year $1,000 is donated to each of the awards.
The majority of the money goes toward engraving the athletes names on the plaques they will receive. The remainder of the money will be used for the cost of the plaques given to the recipients of the awards.
If there is a remainder of the donation left over, the Athletic Department is able to use the extra money at its discretion.
