April 22, 2012
Taylor Rohde captures 2011-12 MacKay UAA Athlete of the Year honor
ANCHORAGE – Taylor Rohde, who led the Seawolf men’s basketball team to one of the best seasons in program history, was named Sunday night as the 2011-12 winner of the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Bill MacKay Athlete of the Year award at the athletic department’s 28th annual end-of-year banquet at Lucy Cuddy Hall.
A 6-9, 255-pound center, Rohde became the first student-athlete in school history to gain National Player-of-the-Year honors when he earned the award from Division II Bulletin last month. The consensus All-American was also the Daktronics NCAA Div. II West Region and Great Northwest Athletic Conference player-of-the-year and became the first Seawolf to play in the Reese’s NCAA Div. II All-Star Game.
The Phoenix, Ariz. (Pinnacle HS) native led the GNAC in scoring (19.8), field-goal percentage (.627, 8th nationally) and double-doubles (9), and finished in a virtual three-way tie for the rebounding lead with 8.0 rpg.
Rohde was a double-figure scorer in 26 of 30 games this season and shot 50-plus percent from the floor in 25 of the last 26 contests, including an ending streak of 17. The two-year transfer from Arizona State tallied 12 games of at least 25 points – including four outings of 30-plus. Among his most impressive performances were a 28-point, 16-rebound effort in a Nov. 25 victory over Division I UC Irvine and his 32 points and 11 rebounds in UAA’s NCAA Tournament First Round win over Montana State Billings.
As a team, the Seawolves finished 23-7 overall and 15-3 in the GNAC – just one game behind eventual national champion Western Washington. UAA was the No. 2 regional seed as the GNAC captured four of the eight NCAA Tournament berths in what has recently been the nation’s most successful region at the national level.
Rohde quickly climbed UAA’s all-time charts, reaching the 1,000-point mark in just 57 games and breaking the career record for field-goal percentage at .621. He also finished among the program leaders in scoring average (10th, 17.9 ppg), points (11th, 1,143), rebounds (t-11th, 463), rebounding averages (10th, 7.2 rpg), free throws made (4th, 291), free throws made per game (4th, 4.5), double-doubles (t-7th, 13) and games started (11th, 63).
In a rare coincidence, Rohde joins former volleyball star Calli Scott (2010) as the second Pinnacle High School product in the last three years to capture UAA’s Athlete-of-the-Year honor.
The MacKay AOY award, sponsored by the Benton Bay Athletic Lions Club and UAA Athletics, is voted on by a committee of UAA Athletics staff, Benton Bay members and local media.
The other 2012 nominees were Andreas Adde (men’s skiing), Jaime Bronga (women’s skiing), Micah Chelimo (men’s cross country), Morgan Cook (gymnastics), Hanna Johansson (women’s basketball), Ruth Keino (women’s cross country), Haleigh Lloyd (women’s track & field), Jackie Matthisen (volleyball), Jade Portwood (hockey) and David Registe (men’s track & field).
Bill MacKay UAA Athletes of the Year
Year Winner Sport
2012 Taylor Rohde M. Basketball
2011 Ruth Keino W. Cross Country/Track & Field
2010 Calli Scott Volleyball
2009 David Registe M. Track & Field
2008 Luke Cooper M. Basketball
2007 Rebecca Kielpinski W. Basketball
2006 Kemmy Burgess M. Basketball
2005 Mandy Kaempf W. Skiing/Cross Country Running
2004 Peter Bullock M. Basketball
2003 Tobias Schwoerer M. Skiing/Cross Country Running
2002 Tobias Schwoerer M. Skiing/Cross Country Running
2001 Ed Kirk M. Basketball
2000 Edda Mutter W. Skiing
1999 Jim Hajdukovich M. Basketball
1998 Zuzana Razusova W. Skiing
1997 Frode Lillefjell M. Skiing/Cross Country Running
(tie) Elena Tkacheva Gymnastics
1996 Allegra Stoetzel W. Basketball
1995 Jason Kaiser M. Basketball
(tie) Karen Hoey Gymnastics
1994 Kerry Robitaille Gymnastics
1993 Jennie Szczerbinski Volleyball
1992 Jon Pauole Swimming
1991 Paul Krake Hockey
1990 Teri Frankie Gymnastics
1989 Michael Johnson M. Basketball
1988 Robin Graul W. Basketball
1987 Hansi Gnad M. Basketball
1986 Teri Frankie Gymnastics
1985 Tiina Kantola W. Skiing/Cross Country Running
-----UAA-----
Nate Sagan
Sports Information Director
University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Dr. / Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 786-1295 / Fax: (907) 563-4565
GoSeawolves.com
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