April 20, 2003

MANHATTAN, Kan. - A number of Kansas State student-athletes have earned special awards from the Powercat Strength and Conditioning Program for their efforts during the 2002-03 athletic seasons, as announced recently by the Wildcat staff.

Allen "Tank" Reese from football and women's track and field athlete Rebekah Green were named All-Americans by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Reese holds the Wildcats' all-time record in the hang clean at 417 pounds. Green, an All-America shot putter at K-State, has posted a hang clean of 251 pounds and a mark of 260 pounds in the bench press.

Men's basketball senior Gilson DeJesus was named the Male Olympic Sport Lifter of the Year. His weight-room highlights included a 700-pound safe squad, a 301-pound hang clean and a 30-inch vertical jump. DeJesus is a graduating senior from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The Female Olympic Sport Lifter of the Year was junior volleyball player Lauren Goehring. She set three volleyball team lifting records with a 180-pound hang clean, a 174-pound bench press and a 496-pound safe squat.

Victor Mann was the Football Lifter of the Year pick by the Powercat Strength Staff. Mann, who will be a sophomore in 2003, posted a bench press of 427 pounds, a safe squat of 822 and a hang clean of 319 pounds.

Jeff Schwinn, a senior-to-be for the Wildcat football team in 2003, earned the Paul Coffman Award. The honor is given annually to the senior football player who exhibits the same spirit and attitude as former Wildcat and NFL alumnus Paul Coffman.

Fullback Ayo Saba, another player to be a sophomore in 2003, earned the Anthony Bates Hang Clean Award. He had a 373-pound effort in the lift and earned the award named after the Wildcat defensive lineman who died prior to the 2000 season.

Maurice Mack was the Football Overachiever Award as the outstanding redshirt performer in football. A member of the redshirts nicknamed the "Construction Crew," who are building for the future, Mack posted a hang clean of 307 pounds, a safe squat of 806 and a bench press of 315.