ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell seniors Jeomi Maduka (Arlington, Texas), Jordan Leen (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) and Max Seibald (Hewlett, N.Y.) were recipients of the Charles H. Moore Outstanding Senior Varsity Athlete Award on Monday evening at the school's annual senior athletics banquet. Chris Finn (Manhasset, N.Y.) and Kelly Hansen (Lutherville, Md.) both earned the Ronald P. Lynch Senior Spirit Award, given to student-athletes whose leadership on and off the field models the ideals of the Big Red athletics department. Wes Newman (Chateauguay, Quebec) was recognized with the Mario St. George Boiardi '04 Leadership Award for most embodying leadership, athleticism and a strong work ethic, while Khaliq Gant (Atlanta, Ga.) was chosen to receive the Inspiration Award presented to the Cornell athlete who has overcome adversity with courage and dedication, and is an inspiration to teammates and the Cornell community.

The only individual, male or female, to win four individual events at one Indoor Heptagonal Championship, Maduka is one of the most decorated athletes in Cornell history. Between her three seasons with the women?s basketball team and four with the track and field team, she has helped Cornell claim seven team championships during her four years (one basketball, three indoor track, three outdoor track). The national runner-up at the NCAA Indoor Championships this winter in the long jump, she has claimed five first-team All-America honors and added an honorable mention in women?s basketball in 2008, becoming the first player at Cornell to earn national accolades in the sport. Collectively over her career, she has garnered 16 first-team All-Ivy League honors, earning women?s basketball Player of the Year honors in 2008 and Rookie of the Year accolades in 2006. She has been named the Ivy League Performer of the Meet three times indoors and twice outdoors. Maduka has also claimed six second-team all-conference honors to go along with seven varsity letters (three in basketball, four in track and field).

Leen, a four-time NCAA qualifier, wrapped up his impressive wrestling career for the Big Red with a 118-29 mark which ranks him sixth in the Cornell record books for career wins. He was recently awarded wrestling's Andy Noel "Leadership Award" after captaining the Big Red to two top 10 NCAA finishes in the past two seasons. Leen capped off his impressive four-year campaign by capturing his third All-America honor with a third-place finish at the NCAA tournament. As a junior, Leen was the lowest seeded wrestler to advance to the finals as a No. 8 seed, winning the national title at 157 pounds with a 5-4 win over No. 2 ranked Mike Poeta of Illinois. He became just the second collegiate wrestler from Tennessee to ever win an NCAA championship. Leen finished his career as a three-time first-team All-Ivy honoree and remained perfect against Ancient Eight competition with a 17-0 mark. At the National Duals this past winter, Leen won all four of his matches by major decision to help the Big Red finish with its highest dual ranking in school history of second in the country. Leen is a member of the Red Key Athlete Honor Society, a two-time Academic All-Ivy honoree and has received National Wrestling Coaches' Association All-Academic honors.

Seibald will leave Cornell as one of its greatest men's lacrosse players. The two-year captain is the only player in the history of Ivy League men's lacrosse to earn first-team All-Ivy honors four times during his career, Seibald was a unanimous first-team choice for his final three seasons. Just the third four-time All-American in Cornell history, he has racked up 137 career points, the most ever by a Big Red midfielder. He became the first-ever Cornell player to be named a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy as a sophomore and followed that up with a finalist selection in his senior season. The 2006 Ivy League Rookie of the Year was selected as the Marty Glickman Outstanding Jewish Scholastic Athlete of the Year by the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame & Museum as a junior. Seibald is a finalist for the Lowe's Senior Class Award for demonstrating excellence in the four "C's" - classroom, community, character and competition.

Few student-athletes would be considered as passionate a contributor to Cornell Athletics as Finn. An inspiring individual through his selfless commitment to the Ithaca community, Finn embraces the qualities of authentic leadership. As the peer elected President of the annual 21 Run, his organization and commitment to literacy in the local community aided in raising $8,500 and brought over 300 runners to the Cornell Plantations. What one would consider a key cog to the success of the Cornell men?s lacrosse team's four straight Ivy League championship squads and two Final Four teams, he also served as captain of the Big Red Readers program and volunteered for the Save the Day program to benefit the Ithaca Dream Factory. Finn also volunteered for the Ithaca Red Cross Thanksgiving Dinner. On the field, Finn has seen action in 50 career games and totaled 67 career points on 44 goals and 23 assists. He has set a career-high with 11 assists as a senior.

Hansen was a three-year starter on the women's lacrosse team, but it was her leadership off the field where she really made a difference. Hansen serves as an AEM Ambassador in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and was co-president of the Red Key Athlete Honor Society. A Dean's list student, she has also earned Academic All-Ivy honors. Hansen was part of the Navy ROTC program during her first year at Cornell. In her four-year career, Hansen saw action in 51 contests and registered 52 ground balls, 30 caused turnovers and 13 draw control wins. She was a second-team All-Ivy and IWLCA all-region selection as a junior in 2008 after winning 18 ground balls and causing 11 turnovers as the team?s top defender in 2008. She was also a two-time weekly Ivy League honoree. As a senior, Hansen had 16 ground balls, 10 caused turnovers and nine draws while starting all 16 contests for the Big Red, including three caused turnovers and three ground balls vs. Colgate and her first career goal vs. Brown. Hansen was also a major contributor to the 2006 team that won a share of the program's first-ever Ivy League title.

Newman was a perfect choice for the Boiardi award after finishing his career as one of the most decorated Cornell swimmers in school history. A three-time Eastern champion, he holds five individual and four school relay records. Newman swam on five Eastern champion relay teams during his career as well. He qualified for the NCAA's in both 2007 and 2009 in the 200 free, and finished in the top five at the 2008 Canadian Olympic Trials in two events (fourth in the 400 free, fifth in the 100 butterfly). A two-year team captain and the winner of the 2008 Richie Moran Award at Cornell, he was voted the team's most valuable performer in each of his four seasons. Newman was a catalyst for the program's undefeated 2007 dual meet season, as well as its third-place finish at the 2009 Ivy championship meet. Out of the pool, Newman was just as impressive. He served as Treasurer of the Red Key Athletic Honor Society and tutored Ithaca High School students as part of the Dufree Tutoring Program. A Dean's List student, Newman was an honorable mention NCAA Scholastic All-American. 

The inspirational leader of two Ivy League championship men's basketball teams, Gant has been a constant presence at practice, on road trips and on the sidelines in the three years since suffering a serious cervical neck injury on Jan. 24, 2006. His recovery and dedication have been documented many times over. Since his injury, he has also reached out to numerous young people, including student-athletes, who have suffered injuries as serious or even more serious cervical injuries, giving them hope and inspiration, but also just encouraging words from someone who has been through a similar experience. Gant was a finalist for the ESPN Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, given during the ESPY?s.He served as an R.A. on campus during his time at Cornell, mentoring other students.