By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. -- Hans Lehndorff (Sr., Boulder, CO/Boulder HS), who has competed in football and track and field for four seasons at Willamette University, has been selected as the winner of the J.H. Booth Award for 2015-16 as the top men's senior student-athlete. He received the award during the annual Athletics Awards Night on Monday, May 2 at Cone Field House.
The Booth Award is presented annually by the Athletics Department to a graduating senior male student-athlete who has developed and demonstrated strong leadership skills and outstanding athleticism, while maintaining a high rank of scholarship during his collegiate career.
Lehndorff was a four-year letterwiner and a three-year starter in football. He played in 27 games as a defensive lineman.
In track and field, he won two Northwest Conference championships in the discus throw (2014, 2016). He also placed fourth in the discus in 2013 and was fifth in 2015. His recent NWC title was earned with a personal record throw of 158' 2" that is the top throw by a Willamette athlete since 1963. It moved him into third all-time on the Bearcats' list and into 18th place on this year's NCAA Division III performance list.
Also this spring, Lehndorff took second place in the NWC in the shot put with a career-best throw of 52' 5.25". He ranks fifth all-time at Willamette and is 21st on the NCAA list for 2016.
Lehndorff has volunteered with Catholic Community Services at a youth respite home. He also has helped at the Salvation Army food pantry and with Marion-Polk Food Share. He has volunteered during Willamette's Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. He also participated in various service projects with the Willamette football team, including the United Way Days of Caring.
He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He is an intern at the Oregon State Capitol in the Legislative Review Office. He has been a teaching assistant in Religious Studies for three semesters.
Lehndorff, who is completing a double major in Economics and Religious Studies, also was honored as the Men's Senior Scholar-Athlete for having achieved the highest cumulative grade point average among the graduating seniors on men's teams at Willamette.
Additional Honors and Awards
All 69 of Willamette's senior student-athletes were honored during the Athletics Awards Night. Athletes with four full seasons on an intercollegiate team received the traditional Willamette blanket by Pendleton. Students with less than four seasons on a team received a framed Willamette letter award.
The Jean Williams Award, issued each year to the top women's senior student-athlete, went to Taylor Ostrander (Sr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central HS), who has competed in cross country and track and field for four seasons with the Bearcats.
Kylea Johnson (Sr., Onalaska, WA/Onalaska HS), a sprinter on the Willamette women's track and field team, was named the Women's Senior Scholar-Athlete after earning the highest cumulative grade point average among graduating seniors on Willamette's women's teams.
Former Willamette swimmer Dan James ('92) was chosen as the Alumnus of the Year. Long-time groundskeeper for football, track and field, and baseball Walt Bier was selected for the Sue J. Rausch Distinguished Service to Willamette Athletics Award. Dr. Jed Rembold, assistant professor of physics, received the Julie Abendroth, Ed. D., Professor of the Year Award.