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Best CU Athlete

David Harrison

He's seven feet tall and his skills look a bit raw, but sometimes he handles the ball with amazing grace, and the minute you see him work his way into the paint, you see he's one of the strongest, most instinctual centers in college basketball. Without David Harrison, their junior redwood from Nashville, Tennessee, the Colorado Buffs might be an ordinary also-ran in the tough Big 12 Conference. With him, they're a tournament contender and an upset threat to the big dogs of the league, including vaunted Kansas. Harrison completed the regular 2003-04 season averaging seventeen points, nine rebounds and almost three blocked shots per game -- team highs all -- and coach Ricardo Patton has counted on him to give the Buffs muscle and the power of intimidation. That could end soon: At last report, Harrison was considering forgoing his senior year in Boulder for the NBA draft.

Best CU Athlete

David Harrison

He's seven feet tall and his skills look a bit raw, but sometimes he handles the ball with amazing grace, and the minute you see him work his way into the paint, you see he's one of the strongest, most instinctual centers in college basketball. Without David Harrison, their junior redwood from Nashville, Tennessee, the Colorado Buffs might be an ordinary also-ran in the tough Big 12 Conference. With him, they're a tournament contender and an upset threat to the big dogs of the league, including vaunted Kansas. Harrison completed the regular 2003-04 season averaging seventeen points, nine rebounds and almost three blocked shots per game -- team highs all -- and coach Ricardo Patton has counted on him to give the Buffs muscle and the power of intimidation. That could end soon: At last report, Harrison was considering forgoing his senior year in Boulder for the NBA draft.

Best CSU Athlete

Nolan Martin

Look out, Tiger. Put a three-iron in Nolan Martin's hands and he'll inevitably knock it stiff. Last fall, the Colorado State senior from Colorado Springs led the Rams golf team to the best single season in school history. They played six tournaments (against multiple schools) and finished in the top four five times. Individually, Martin became just the third CSU player to win two tournaments outright: the Fresno Lexus Classic and the Ron Moore Invitational. In two other events, he finished third. Martin's per-round average of 69.52 strokes was one of the best in the nation, and as the fall season closed, Golfweek magazine ranked him eleventh among U.S. collegiate players. The spring college golf season has just started, and Martin is already shooting low almost every week. Watch for him sometime soon on the PGA Tour.

Best CSU Athlete

Nolan Martin

Look out, Tiger. Put a three-iron in Nolan Martin's hands and he'll inevitably knock it stiff. Last fall, the Colorado State senior from Colorado Springs led the Rams golf team to the best single season in school history. They played six tournaments (against multiple schools) and finished in the top four five times. Individually, Martin became just the third CSU player to win two tournaments outright: the Fresno Lexus Classic and the Ron Moore Invitational. In two other events, he finished third. Martin's per-round average of 69.52 strokes was one of the best in the nation, and as the fall season closed, Golfweek magazine ranked him eleventh among U.S. collegiate players. The spring college golf season has just started, and Martin is already shooting low almost every week. Watch for him sometime soon on the PGA Tour.

Best DU Athlete

Adam Berkhoel

He's had his moments of self-doubt this season, and when the University of Denver Pioneers hockey team went 3-4-1 in January while getting outscored 16-22, senior goaltender Adam Berkhoel knew he wasn't playing up to form. But then the team put together a nine-game unbeaten streak that propelled them into the post-season. Berkhoel had turned into a brick wall, astonishing teammates with his athletic play and evincing praise from coach George Gwozdecky. "He'll make saves that, for a lot of people, seem unbelievable," Gwozdecky said. "But for Adam, he does it on a regular basis." A 190-pounder from Woodbury, Minnesota, Berkhoel began his DU career in 2001 as half of the famous "two-headed" goalie (the other head belonged to Wade Dubielewicz) that shut down the top shooters in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Berkhoel started going it alone last season, and upon his shoulders rest the Pioneers' tournament hopes.

Best DU Athlete

Adam Berkhoel

He's had his moments of self-doubt this season, and when the University of Denver Pioneers hockey team went 3-4-1 in January while getting outscored 16-22, senior goaltender Adam Berkhoel knew he wasn't playing up to form. But then the team put together a nine-game unbeaten streak that propelled them into the post-season. Berkhoel had turned into a brick wall, astonishing teammates with his athletic play and evincing praise from coach George Gwozdecky. "He'll make saves that, for a lot of people, seem unbelievable," Gwozdecky said. "But for Adam, he does it on a regular basis." A 190-pounder from Woodbury, Minnesota, Berkhoel began his DU career in 2001 as half of the famous "two-headed" goalie (the other head belonged to Wade Dubielewicz) that shut down the top shooters in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Berkhoel started going it alone last season, and upon his shoulders rest the Pioneers' tournament hopes.

Best College Coach

Mike Dunlap, Metropolitan State College of Denver

When a couple of big-deal basketball schools came calling, Metro State hoops coach Mike Dunlap politely said no and got back to the business of keeping his Roadrunners at the top of the Division II game. Since 1997, Dunlap has won a pair of national championships for the big commuter school on the Auraria campus, and the 2003-04 'Runners finished the regular season with a 25-2 record and won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament, earning them another number-one national ranking and a big shot at a third D-2 title. An undersized Alaskan with the will of a bulldog, Dunlap recruits everywhere from Australia to Eastern Europe. He also torments his players with verbal harangues, early-morning practices and motivational ploys ranging from cajolery to outright insult. But there's no one they'd rather play for -- or learn from.

Best College Coach

Mike Dunlap, Metropolitan State College of Denver

When a couple of big-deal basketball schools came calling, Metro State hoops coach Mike Dunlap politely said no and got back to the business of keeping his Roadrunners at the top of the Division II game. Since 1997, Dunlap has won a pair of national championships for the big commuter school on the Auraria campus, and the 2003-04 'Runners finished the regular season with a 25-2 record and won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament, earning them another number-one national ranking and a big shot at a third D-2 title. An undersized Alaskan with the will of a bulldog, Dunlap recruits everywhere from Australia to Eastern Europe. He also torments his players with verbal harangues, early-morning practices and motivational ploys ranging from cajolery to outright insult. But there's no one they'd rather play for -- or learn from.

Best Individual College Athletic Performance

Dathan Ritzenhein

When Dathan Ritzenhein came to CU two years ago from Michigan, he was one of the most highly touted prospects to arrive at the Boulder campus in any sport. But the first-ever winner of two consecutive Foot Locker cross-country championships was kept out of the running last year with an early stress fracture of his leg. This time around, though, the red-shirt sophomore made up for lost time. In November he ran away with the NCAA Division I cross-country championships, blistering through the 6.2-mile course at a pace of 4:43 per mile. Bonus points: Ritzenhein was the second Buff in a row to win the race. Last year, senior harrier Jorge Torres finished on top.

Best Individual College Athletic Performance

Dathan Ritzenhein

When Dathan Ritzenhein came to CU two years ago from Michigan, he was one of the most highly touted prospects to arrive at the Boulder campus in any sport. But the first-ever winner of two consecutive Foot Locker cross-country championships was kept out of the running last year with an early stress fracture of his leg. This time around, though, the red-shirt sophomore made up for lost time. In November he ran away with the NCAA Division I cross-country championships, blistering through the 6.2-mile course at a pace of 4:43 per mile. Bonus points: Ritzenhein was the second Buff in a row to win the race. Last year, senior harrier Jorge Torres finished on top.

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