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49ers Announce Inspirational Award Winners
Kevin Cape, Kourtnee Gervasi and Chris Richardson Will Be Honored
October 5, 2006
LONG BEACH, CA-- The Department of Athletics at Long Beach State announced
the three award winners for the Hall of Fame Inspirational Awards which
will be presented at the 21st Annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Thursday,
October 19, 2006 at the Long Beach Airport Marriott
Winning the Lynn Hoyem Leadership Award is men’s volleyball athlete
Kevin Cape (Long Beach, CA). Winning the Todd Hart Courage
Award is softball athlete Kourtnee Gervasi (Baldwin Park, CA)
and winning the Bill Bovee Determination Award is men’s track and
field athlete Chris Richardson (Downey, CA). Student-athletes
were nominated for the individual awards by their coaches and the voting
was conducted by the Department of Athletics Senior Staff.
The Lynn Hoyem Leadership Award is presented to a senior class athlete
who exemplifies leadership qualities in athletics. The award reads: “As
an athlete, an individual and a leader, Lynn’s life reflected the
finest qualities and the true uniqueness of being a Long Beach 49er. His
great warmth, humor, character and thoughtfulness never wavered throughout
his many personal accomplishments. He remains an inspiration to all those
whose lives he touched.”
Kevin Cape is one of the most visible and popular student-athletes at
Long Beach State. Entering his fourth year on the 49er men’s volleyball
team, Cape has been instrumental in the growth of the Student-Athlete
Advisory Council (SAAC). He has been a member of SAAC since his freshman
year and has been the co-President the past two years. He is also an active
member of the academic side of campus, serving as a President’s
Ambassador. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Cape helped organize
a group of student-athletes to raise funds for those who were effected
by the disaster. Cape had a strong junior season, averaging 1.88 kills
per game and hitting an impressive .393. He also was named to the MPSF
All-Academic Team. According to his Head Coach, Alan Knipe,”Kevin
has shown great leadership by example, in my opinion, the very best way.
He has been a valuable member of our team and its camaraderie. His passion
for life and others will take Kevin to great heights in life. His character
and loyalty will leave Long Beach State a much better place than it was
prior to his enrollment.”
The Todd Hart Courage Award is presented to an athlete who best exemplifies
courage. The award reads: “Todd displayed true courage and moments
of greatness often found away from the bright lights and playing fields.
He faced his challenge and turned adversity into an opportunity to let
his courage serve as a daily inspiration to Long Beach State athletes
and young men and women everywhere.”
Kourtnee Gervasi is currently a senior on the 49er softball team. This
past January Kourtnee’s mother, Shelly, was diagnosed with cancer,
which coincided with the start of the softball season and the academic
semester. Gervasi battled this illness with her mother throughout the
entire season. Kourtnee’s mother passed away two days before the
NCAA Regionals at UCLA. After consultation with her father, Kourtnee played
in the Regionals and scored the game-winning run in the victory over San
Diego State. She never missed a game throughout the entire season. She
helped lead the 49ers to a 31-22 mark and their fourth consecutive, and
17th overall, NCAA Regional appearance. According to her coach, Kim Sowder,
“Kourtnee showed incredible strength, always finding positive when
they were not so easy to find. She showed determination and courage above
and beyond anyone’s expectations during the year and her strength
and courage touched all of us in the 49er softball family.”
The Bill Bovee Determination Award honors a senior student-athlete for
showing a determination above and beyond our expectations. The award reads:
“Always determined in maximizing his athletic talents to their highest
potential, he was courageous in facing life’s ultimate adversity.
Bill’s dignity and unyielding determination will always be remembered,
loved and admired by his countless friends.”
Chris Richardson exceeded everyone’s expectations in his first season
as a 49er as he won the decathlon championship at the 2006 Big West Conference
Outdoor Track & Field Championships and earned All-America honors
after finishing third in that event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships
in Sacramento in June. Richardson was selected as the Big West Field Athlete
of the Year, set the school record in the indoor heptathlon and the outdoor
decathlon and he also was a gold medalist for the United States at the
North American, Canadian, And Caribbean (NACAC) Championships, where he
established a new meet record for this international competition. Added
to those accomplishments were a Big West Championship for the 49er men’s
track squad, its first since 1976. But, what Richardson did that isn’t
mentioned in the stats is what impressed his coaches the most. In early
April he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his spine. Having already
endured a season of pain, the diagnosis came at a point in the season
where a redshirt season was not available. He adjusted his training activities
and functions that caused the pain. It was questionable whether Chris
would be able to compete at the Big West meet. He did,however, compete
and win the conference championship. According to his coach, Andy Sythe,
“Chris is a special athlete, with all the gifts that one could expect
from a future Olympian. His determination was critical to his success
this past season, a sign of a true competitor.” 2006 Hall of Fame
Inductee Dave Rodda said, “When we recruited Chris we saw something
special in him as n athlete and a student. We established some early season
goals that did not factor in serious, season-ending type injuries. Despite
his diagnosis and the pain he experienced, Chris surpassed his goals.”
This year’s class of inductees are: Bobby Crosby (Baseball), Howard
Lyon (Special/Coach), Jackie Moore (Women’s Basketball), Joe Paopao
(Football), Jon Regnier (Administration), Dave Rodda (Special/Coach) and
Ami Rzasa (Ice) (Track & Field).
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