BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University Department of Athletics has announced its 2024 Most Outstanding Senior Athlete Award winners.
The Kenneth Steingass Most Outstanding Male Athlete has been awarded since 1948-49 while the Marcia French Most Outstanding Female Athlete was first awarded in 1981-82. Both are presented annually to a deserving senior which is voted on by the coaches.
All-American and Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference men's wrestler Doug Byrne (Wickliffe) and All-American and Academic All-Ohio Athletic distance runner Hope Murphy (Mogadore) were selected as the Kenneth Steingass and Marcia French Most Outstanding Senior Athlete Award winners.
Byrne becomes the 16th men's wrestling, including the eighth only men's wrestling, student-athlete to achieve the honor.
Byrne is a four-time All-OAC performer, including three consecutive first-team selections, three-time NCAA Division III National qualifier at three different weight classes, two-time NCAA Central Regional Champion and two different weight classes and a two-time All-American. He was a four-time individual invitational champion and a three-time OAC Men's Wrestler of the Week Award winner. Byrne ranks sixth on the school's all-time wins list with a career-record of 117-20. He recorded 70 pins, 17 major decisions and four technical falls.
Off the mat, Byrne is a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Scholar All-American and an Academic All-OAC performer.
Murphy becomes the 18th track and field, including the 10th cross country and track and field, student-athlete to earn the accolade.
Murphy is a 25-time All-OAC performer (two in cross country and nine each in indoor and outdoor track and field), 17-time OAC Champion (two cross country and 15 in indoor and outdoor track and field) and 15-time OAC Runner of the Week Award winner (six cross country, three indoor track and field and six outdoor track and field) and has qualified for nine consecutive national championships. She was the 2023 and 2024 OAC Julie Zajac Indoor Distance Runner of the Year, 2022 and 2023 OAC Cross Country Runner of the Year, 2022 OAC Dave Lehman Outstanding Outdoor Distance Athlete of the Year and 2022 OAC Co-Julie Zajac Indoor Distance Runner of the Year.
Off the course and the track, Murphy is a five-time Academic All-OAC selection (three in cross country and two in track and field), two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-American and 2022 United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic selection. She is a Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar, and a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. Murphy is also the treasurer of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Treasurer and an engagement student-assistant for the Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement.
