Athletics Department Announces Golden Torch Award Winners

FSU hosts ninth annual gala.

Nov. 23, 1999

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida State Athletics Department hosted the ninth annual Golden Torch Gala on November 15, 1999, to announce this year’s Golden Torch Award recipients. The black-tie affair was held in the University Center Club Ballroom on the Florida State campus.

The Golden Torch Award is given annually to the FSU men’s and women’s athletic team with the highest team GPA. There is also an award given to the student-athlete on each team with the highest grade point average and an overall award winner is also honored for both the men and women.
 

For the third year in a row, the Florida State women’s tennis team claimed the Women’s Team Golden Torch Award with a grade point average of 3.658. Women’s tennis head coach Lise Gregory is entering her fourth year at FSU and in her first three years in Tallahassee, Gregory has led the Lady Seminoles to three Golden Torch Awards and three trips to the NCAA Tournament. The FSU men’s team with the highest grade point average in 1998-99 was the men’s track and field team. Their overall team grade point average was 3.006.

The Overall Female Golden Torch Award Winner was Kerry Miano, a women’s track and field team member from Rocky Point High School in New York. Miano maintained a 4.0 grade point average in 1998-99 to win the prestigous award. The Overall Male Golden Torch Award Winner was Kevin Flanagan. Flanagan, a member of the men’s swim team, had a GPA of 3.952 for the 1998-99 academic year.
 

The individual winners from each team were Matthew Diaz from baseball, Vanessa Fuchs from women’s basketball, Chris Hull from men’s basketball, Xuan Stevens from the women’s cross country team, Michael Maier from the men’s cross country team, Chris Hope of the football team, Louise Wright from the women’s golf team, Kevin Zuelch of the men’s golf team, Ashley Halter from the soccer team, Andrea Lyons from the softball team, Maria Toole of the women’s swimming and diving team, Kevin Flanagan from the men’s swimming and diving team, Ali Weber of the women’s tennis team, Ty Braswell from the men’s tennis team, Kerry Miano of the women’s track and field team, Mason Yost from the men’s track and field team and Sarah Rickertsen from the volleyball team.
 

In 1998-99, Florida State set a school record with 181 ACC Honor Roll members. Florida State Athletics Director Dave Hart, Jr., Director of Athletic Academic Support Mark Meleney, Dean of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Sandra Rackley and the President of Seminole Boosters Andy Miller were all in attendance to honor FSU’s student-athletes. The Keynote Speaker for the Gala was former Seminole Boosters President Sherman Henderson. The award winners will be honored again during halftime of a men’s basketball game later this year.