KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown University has announced its athletes, rookies and coaches of the year for the 2007-08 school year. 

            Elfren Quiles (sr. New Britain, Conn./New Britain HS), of the football team, was named the Male Athlete of the Year.  Ashley Fitzgerald (jr. Kitchener, Ont./Resurrection), of the softball team, was named Female Athlete of the Year.  Ryan Washington (fr. Glenside/Wissahickon HS), of the men’s basketball team, was chosen as the Male Rookie of the Year.  Ashley Pinter (fr. Bethlehem/Liberty HS), was tabbed the Female Rookie of the Year.  Bernie Driscoll was named the Men’s Athletics Coach of the year for his efforts guiding the men’s basketball team.  Judy Lawes, head softball coach, was named the Women’s Athletics Coach of the Year. 

            Quiles caught 64 passes for school record 1,187 yards and eight touchdowns in 2007.  The senior wide receiver set a single-game school record with 308 yards against Bloomsburg. He was a d2football.com  and Associated Press All-America selection, and earned All-Northeast Region and All-PSAC East honors.  He was also a Harlon Hill Trophy regional finalist.            

 Fitzgerald, the PSAC East Player of the Year, led the conference with a .427 batting average and helped KU to the PSAC East regular-season title and a school-record 48 wins. The utility player hit 16 home runs, with 59 RBIs and a school-record 23 doubles. She was a consensus All-PSAC East, Daktronics and NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region, and Daktronics and NFCA All-America first team selection. 

            Washington was the PSAC East Rookie of the Year, averaging 9.1 points per game and a team-best 7.7 rebounds per game. He shot 51.5 percent from the floor, helping the Golden Bears earn a share of the PSAC East regular-season title.           

            Pinter, had a very successful outdoor track & field season, finishing as an All-PSAC athlete in three events. She was the PSAC champion in the discus with a throw of 138-5, was second in the shot put (42-4) and third in the hammer throw (153-4). During the indoor season, she placed seventh in the 20-pound weight throw (48-11 ½).  

             Driscoll led his team a share of the PSAC East regular season title.  It was KU’s second PSAC East title and first since 1988. In his eighth year as head coach, Driscoll led KU to a 10-2 division mark and a 19-9 overall record. On Dec. 29, he picked up his 100th career win.  Driscoll coached two All-PSAC East first team players and a second team player. For the third straight season, he coached the PSAC East Rookie of the Year. 

            Lawes won her second straight PSAC East regular season softball title.  Lawes, in her 21st year at KU, led the Golden Bears to a school-record 48 wins, and third-place finishes at the PSAC playoffs and NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals.  KU finished 48-14 overall and 21-3 in the PSAC East. Lawes coached the 2008 PSAC East Player of the Year, along with seven all-star performers. 

            The nominees for KU’s year-end awards are voted upon by members of the KU athletics department staff.  The awards will be formally presented at halftime of the Sept. 6 football game vs. Clarion.