3 from Pitt athletics up for Dapper Dan
Three members of the Pitt Athletics community have been nominated for awards by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Dapper Dan Charities.
Online votes can be cast until noon Jan. 25 at www.post-gazette.com/dapperdan/ballot/.
Carol Sprague, senior associate athletics director, is a nominee for 2009 Sportswoman of the Year. Sprague is being recognized for bringing the women’s basketball team into the national spotlight and for her role in bringing opening round games of the 2010 NCAA women’s basketball tournament to the Petersen Events Center.
Head football coach Dave Wannstedt has been nominated as 2009 Sportsman of the Year for leading the Panthers to a top-15 national ranking and coaching the team to 10 wins for the first time since 1981.
Freshman tailback Dion Lewis joins Wannstedt and three others as nominees for the sportsman award. Lewis was named National Freshman of the Year by the Sporting News and took home the Big East’s offensive player of the year honors after eclipsing Hall-of-Famer Tony Dorsett’s freshman rushing record with 1,799 yards.
Lewis also is a nominee in the 2009 breakthrough athlete of the year category.
Winners will be honored at the Dapper Dan sports banquet March 25 at the Petersen Events Center.