COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Cal Lutheran Juniors Obasi Dees and Zandra Stewart were recently named 2019 All-American Athlete of the Year recipients as announced by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
"I am extremely proud of Zandra's and Obasi's accomplishments," said Cal Lutheran Director of Strength and Conditioning Pat Holmberg. "They are excellent examples for our younger student-athletes. The maturity, effort and diligence with which they prioritize academic and athletic pursuits will undoubtedly foster success irrespective of their chosen career paths."
The All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award program recognizes collegiate and high school athletes whose athletic accomplishments reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning.
Dees (Antioch, Calif) is a dual-sport student-athlete competing in football and track & field. He was selected to the d3football.com All-America Team garnering Honorable Mention honors. The defensive back was also named First Team All-West Region for the first time and First Team All-SCIAC for the third consecutive year. On the track, Dees earned two All-West Region honors for both the 100- and 200-meter dash. He added three All-SCIAC honors, two for the previous events, and also competed with the 4x100 relay team.
"From the day he stepped on campus as a freshman, Obasi has been a tireless worker and a pleasure to coach," said Holmberg. "His discipline and dedication enable exceptional performances across two sports. Every day he shows up ready, willing and excited to put in the necessary work needed to improve."
Stewart (Santa Maria, Calif.) is a defender for the Regals soccer program. She earned her first All-West Region honor this past year as she was named to the United Soccer Coaches Second Team. A staple for the defense, the captain also earned All-SCIAC First Team. She led the backline, holding opponents to a low .042 shot percentage and just .39 goals per game. The Regals' defense ranked 10th in the nation for goals-against average (0.366) and 12th (first in the SCIAC) for shutout percentage (0.722).
"Zandra's accomplishments over the last year reflect her tremendous work ethic and dedication to the training process," said Holmberg. "Not only does she excel on the field but her academic achievements are noteworthy. Indeed, she epitomizes the term, 'student-athlete'."
Past recipients of the honor include Michael Bassatte, Chris Cabrera, Jessica Dingman, Amanda Hamilton, Amanda Lewis, Monica Lundgren, Sheyenne Machida, Bjorn McMillan, Andrew Pankow, Lauren Rohach, Jackie Russell, Arik Smith, Nicki Tetherow, Sinjin Todd and Rian Younker.
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
