Recent Bates graduates Liam Evans and Amanda Kaufman have been named the recipients of the 2022 Peter and Lois Doran Award for Track & Field Excellence.
Established in 2020, the award is presented annually to a male and female track and field athlete who meet the following criteria: dedication to the college, the program and the coaches; leadership on the team and on the campus; achievement at the highest level of personal ability; and a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher.
Evans (Sauquoit, N.Y.) won the New England Division III title in the decathlon this season, moving into sixth place on the Bates all-time performance list in the event. The psychology major was also a team captain and a Senior Scholar Award recipient.
"Liam as a captain was level-headed through some trying times and genuinely wanted what was best for the team," men's head coach Curtis Johnson said. "We have a huge track and field community and I am thankful to have had Liam here over the past few years, leading by example every day."
Kaufman (Somers, Conn.) was a team captain and three-time All-American at Bates, helping the Distance Medley Relay team place a program-record second at NCAAs in 2019. She was an All-NESCAC performer in the 100-meter hurdles this year and graduated as the second-fastest 60-meter hurdler and 100-meter hurdler in program history. Earlier this year, Kaufman, a double major in gender and sexuality studies and in psychology, moderated an alumnae panel for National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Like Evans, Kaufman was a Senior Scholar Award recipient.
"Amanda is truly a worthy recipient of the Peter and Lois Doran award," women's head coach Jennifer "Jay" Hartshorn said. "She has immersed herself in all aspects of Bates College. She has achieved at the highest levels in both the classroom and on the track where she earned All-America honors. She has been a supportive teammate and a true leader for our team. She will be missed and we can't wait to see what she does next."
Peter and Lois Doran are long-time supporters of track and field, with Peter having officiated every Maine State Meet for more than 50 years. He explained why the award was established on the Bates Bobcast podcast in 2020: "It's our esteem for Bates College, and the emphasis that they've placed on track and field, I really think. We wanted to be able to recognize that, and to find some way of providing incentive to student-athletes, here at Bates, to encourage them to excellence. But not just in track and field, but in many phases of their lives."
Original source can be found here
Alerts Sign-up