April 25, 2008

ORONO, Maine - The M Club earlier this week honored several Maine student-athletes at its annual Senior Awards Banquet. The event was held at the Buchanan Alumni House on the Orono campus.

The Female Athlete-of-the-Year award went to Laura Harper (Nepean, Ontario), who served as a captain on the 2007 women's soccer team this past fall. She started all 17 games for the Black Bears last season and scored four goals (including three game winners) while adding two assists for 10 points (second most on the team). For her efforts, Harper was named to the All-America East First-Team for the second-straight season. Harper played in 74-career games and scored 25 goals while dishing out eight assists for 58-career points.

Off the field, Harper was a standout in the classroom as she was named the co-winner of the 2008 M Club/Dean Smith Award. She was an ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District Team selection in both 2005 and 2006, and was named to the America East Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll on several occasions.

It marked the third-straight year a member of the women's soccer team was named the M Club Female Athlete of the Year. Harper joins Linda Consolante (2005) and Marie-Andree Canuel (2006) as the past three award winners.

The Male Athlete of the Year went to Travis Ramsey (Lakewood, Calif.) who served as captain of the men's ice hockey team this past season. He saw action in all 34 games last season and scored four goals and added eight assists for 12 points. Ramsey played in 134 career games with six goals and 23 assists for 29 career points.

Ramsey excelled off the ice. He was named the winner of the 2008 M Club/Dean Smith Award. He was an official candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award honoring commitment to classroom, character, competition and community. He was a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the official communication studies honor society of the National Communication Association.

Ramsey has been named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team and also named a Maine Scholar-Athlete Award winner. Ramsey, who is scheduled to graduate in May with a degree in communications, signed a professional contract with the Manitoba Moose following the 2008 men's ice hockey season.

The Female Spirit Award went to Erin Reusch (Salem, N.H.) of the field hockey team. Reusch, who served as captain this past season, saw action in 71 career games. She scored three goals and added five assists for 11 points. She was named to the America East Second Team last fall. She was named co-winner of the 2008 M Club/Dean Smith Award.

Reusch was named to the America East All-Academic Team. She has been named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Academic squad four times. She has been named to the America East Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll and also a Maine Scholar-Athlete Award winner. Reusch is scheduled to graduate in May with a degree in kinesiology and physical education.

The Wes Jordan Service Award was presented to Ashley Stambolis who is a student-athletic trainer. She is a native of Andover, Maine.