Jan. 28, 2008
The winners of the L.F. "Tow" Diehm Inspirational Award for 2006-07 is Robb Bierbaum, while Terryn Granados and Jen Hale are the recipients of the Leslie Self Inspirational Award.
Started in 1997-98, this is the 10th year the awards have been presented to UNM male and female student-athletes based on leadership, character, determination and commitment to team.
This year's recipients will be recognized before the Lobo men's basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 9, against Wyoming. Presenting the awards will be Tow's daughter, Teresa Austin, and Randy Self.
Robb Bierbaum is currently a senior for the UNM men's golf team. A native of Sioux Falls, S.D., Bierbaum came to UNM in 2004 as a walk-on transfer from the University of South Dakota. Never even guaranteed a spot on the team, Bierbaum has become a regular member of the Lobos' starting lineup, playing in a team-high 44 rounds last year. He had a career-low 69 in the final round of the NCAA West Regional, leading the Lobos to an eighth place finish and a spot in the NCAA Championships.
Says head coach Glen Millican, "Robb is the type of guy who is always the example of what a coach would like the rest of the team to operate and behave like."
 Robb Bierbaum came to UNM in 2004 as a walk-on.  |
|
Terryn Granados, an Albuquerque La Cueva graduate, was a three-year starter at midfield for the Lobo soccer team. Granados was a three-time Mountain West Conference Scholar-Athlete and was twice named academic all-conference and to the ESPN The Magazine Academic all-district first team. She was also a recipient of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award in 2006.
A native of Tacoma, Wash., Jen Hale was a four-year letterwinner for the Lobo swim team and a four-time Mountain West Conference all-academic honoree. Hale was second team all-conference in 2005 and a member of UNM's record holding team in the 800-yard freestyle relay. She was a finalist at the 2007 MWC Championships in the 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard butterfly.
The late Tow Diehm served the University of New Mexico for 40 years, most of that time spent as the head athletics trainer. He was also an athletics administrator and a lobbyist for the department to the New Mexico state legislature. Tow passed away on May 1, 1998.
Leslie Self was the wife of Randy Self, who is the former President of the Lobo Club and owner of Spectator's Sports Bar and Grille. Leslie also passed away in 1998 after a long battle with cancer.
Previous Winners
Tow Diehm Award
1997-98 Pepe Caballero - tennis
1998-99 Marcos White - basketball
1999-00 Daniel Reyes - football
2000-01 Brian Smith - basketball
2001-02 Jarrod Baxter - football
2002-03 Dusty Young - baseball
2003-04 Divan Coetzee - tennis
2004-05 Nick Speegle - football
2005-06 Chris Carlson - baseball; Lars Loeseth - skiing/soccer
2006-07 Robb Bierbaum - golf
Leslie Self Award
1997-98 Tamika Stukes - basketball
1998-99 Aimee Hites - tennis
1999-00 Nikki Heckroth - basketball
2000-01 Quinn Michie - swimming
2001-02 Kristi Larsen - golf
2002-03 Jennier Delich - skiing
2003-04 Amanda Barnes - track and field; Cassie Chavez - softball; Nicole Overeem - swimming
2004-05 Kristen Winters - soccer
2005-06 Maja Kovacek - tennis
2006-07 Terryn Granados - soccer; Jen Hale - swimming