DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College Department of Athletics annual fall student-athlete awards banquet was held Tuesday night in the ballroom of the Student Union Building.
 
Each of the Skyhawks six fall programs were recognized at the banquet – men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, volleyball and football.  Each team's Most Valuable Player and Most Outstanding Performer (cross country) were presented their awards.
 
Also receiving recognition at the fall banquet were the Outstanding Senior Male and Female Athletes of the Year.
 
The Don Whalen Outstanding Senior Male Athlete of the Year award is presented each year to the most outstanding senior male athlete at Fort Lewis College. It is named after Dr. Don Whalen, a longtime coach, administrator and supporter of Skyhawk Athletics.  During his career at Fort Lewis College from 1959 to 1988, Dr. Whalen served as men's basketball coach, golf coach, director of athletics, dean of education, vice president and, ultimately, two stints as interim president. Our gymnasium is named after him and he's a member of the FLC Athletic Hall of Fame. Dr. Whalen died on September 26, 2006, age 75.
 
Don Whalen Outstanding Senior Male Athlete of the Year, Men's Cross Country Most Outstanding Performer - Christian Gering
 
Christian Gering closed out his four-year career with the Skyhawks this past Saturday in Louisville, Ky., competing in his third straight NCAA Championship race.
 
Gering owns three of the Fort Lewis College men's cross country top 10 times in 10K races, two of which came in NCAA Championship meets.
 
He has competed in 24 meets for the Skyhawks cross country program, including four RMAC and four NCAA regional championship races.
 
In his first NCAA Division II championship race, Gering ran a time of 31:09.2 on Nov. 17 in Joplin, Mo., marking the second fastest 10K time in school history behind Kiprono Mutai's 31:01 time, set in Fayetteville, Ark. on Oct. 16, 2010.
 
As a junior in 2013, Gering ran the third fastest 10K time in school history (31:19) at the South Central Regional race on Nov. 9, 2013 from Canyon, Texas.  Two weeks later at the national championship race in Spokane, Wash., Gering ran the course in 31:57.6, marking the ninth fastest time in school history.
 
Gering is the first men's cross country runner to win the Don Whalen Outstanding Senior Male Athlete of the Year.
 
The Jan Wilson Hetzler Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year award is presented each year to the most outstanding senior female athlete at Fort Lewis College. It is named after Jan Wilson Hetzler, who was women's tennis coach and exercise science instructor at Fort Lewis College in the mid-1970s. Ms. Wilson Hetzler died of breast cancer on February 11, 1976, just 31 years old. The Department of Athletics named the award after her the following year and began presenting it to the most outstanding senior female athlete.
 
Jan Wilson Hetzler Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year, Women's Cross Country Most Outstanding Performer - Maddie Kruger
 
A two-time Skyhawk Most Outstanding Performer for women's cross country, Maddie Kruger competed in five races for the Skyhawks this season and led the Skyhawks in four of those five races.
 
On Oct. 18, she broke the school's 5K record at the Fort Hays State Tiger Open, recording a time of 17:33.
 
She finishes her career with a rare duo of awards of All-RMAC First Team and USTFCCCA All-Region accolades.
 
In her time at Fort Lewis, she qualified to compete for the Skyhawks in all four conference and regional championship races.
 
Men's Soccer MVP - Alberto Capdepon
 
Alberto Capdepon saw action in seven games at midfield this season for the Skyhawks.  He finished the season with one assist, 10 shots and four shots on goal.
 
A four year letterwinner for the Skyhawks and a member of the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship team, Capdepon ranks 31st all-time on the Skyhawks career charts for most points scored (30).
 
He is a two-time all-conference and all-district honoree.
 
Women's Soccer MVP - Caitlyn Espinosa
 
Caitlyn Espinosa saw action in 17 games this season between the posts.  She recorded eight shutouts and made 69 saves while earning a 6-7-4 record on the season.  Espinosa notched a 0.79 goals against average while allowing only 14 goals.
 
In three seasons at Fort Lewis College, Espinosa ranks first on the Skyhawks career charts for lowest goals against average (0.740), and fourth for most wins (23).  She has seen action in nearly 4,000 minutes and has a saves percentage of 83.1.
 
Football MVP - Ryan Ross
 
A 2014 RMAC pre-season selection, junior linebacker Ryan Ross led the Skyhawks defense in tackles (98), solo tackles (55), and assisted tackles (43).  He added 7.5 tackles for a loss of 32 yards, two sacks for a loss of 17 yards, and he returned an interception 71 yards in the Skyhawks win at Colorado Mesa.  He recorded at least 10 tackles in five games this season.
 
Ross finished the season earning RMAC Honorable Mention honors.
 
Volleyball MVP - Ashley Wells
A native of Grand Junction, Colo., Ashley Wells finished her senior season ranked ninth in the league in kills (319, 3.18 kills per set) and 18th in digs (317, 3.17 digs per set).
 
She saw action in all 26 matches and competed in 100 sets, accumulating 3.50 points per set, .46 blocks per set and a .192 hitting percentage.  Wells is a two-time All-RMAC performer.
 
Wells finished her four-year career for the Skyhawks ranked fourth in career kills (1,169), 10th in career kills per set (3.05), and 11th in digs (1,029).
 
The annual spring banquet will be held in in April 2015 and will recognize cycling, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's golf, women's track & field, women's lacrosse and softball.