May 5, 2002

MANHATTAN, Kan. - A number of Kansas State student-athletes, including defending NCAA heptathlon champion Austra Skujyte and football senior Nick Hoheisel, were among those earning awards from the Powercat Strength program for 2002, strength coach Rod Cole announced Wednesday.

Hoheisel, a fullback from Newton, Kan., was the Football Lifter of the Year, earning the award after posting a hang clean of 385 pounds, a bench press of 440, an incline press of 414 and a safe squat of 938 pounds in March testing.

Seniors Steve Washington and Andy Klocke shared the Paul Coffman Award, named in honor of the former Wildcat tight end who went on to an outstanding NFL career.

Washington, an offensive lineman from Dallas, had a hang clean of 300 pounds and a safe squat of 800. Klocke, a linebacker from Randolph, Kan., posted a hang clean of 319 pounds and also a safe squat of 800.

The Olympic Sport Lifters of the Year were Skujyte on the women's side and baseball player Tim Doty for the men.

Skujyte, from Birzai, Lithuania, had a hang clean of 187 pounds and a safe squat of 475. Doty, a first baseman/DH from Oklahoma City, Okla., earned the honor with marks of 615 pounds in the safe squat, a 300-pound bench press and a 280-pound hang clean.

Rock Cartwright and Rebekah Green were honored as All-America Athletes of the Year by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Cartwright, who was a senior football player in 200, had a bench press of 502 pounds, a hang clean of 383 pounds, 917 pounds in the safe squat and posted a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash. Green, a women's shot putter from Columbus, Ohio, had a hang clean of 251 pounds, a bench press of 260 and a safe squat of 603.

Tank Reese, a defensive tackle on the football team, earned the Anthony Bates Memorial Award, posting a record hang clean of 417 pounds.

Matt Butler, a linebacker from Manhattan, Kan., was named the Overachiever Award recipient as the outstanding freshman football lifter.

--ksu--