SAN FRANCISCO -- UCLA women's basketball senior Kari Korver and men's soccer senior Felix Vobejda were named UCLA honorees for the 2016-17 Pac-12 Tom Hansen Conference Medal, as announced by the league office today.
A Conference Medal is awarded annually to each member institution's outstanding senior male and female student-athlete based on the exhibition of the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.
On Thursday, June 29 at 7:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. MT, Pac-12 Networks will feature the Medal winners on its year-end Sports Report, "Pac-12 Sports Report: Year-End Spectacular". Vignettes on each of the 24 winners will also run on Pac-12 Networks platforms over the next several months.
Korver, a native of Paramount, Calif., was a first team Pac-12 All-Academic Team selection in 2016-17. She set multiple school shooting records, including single-season 3-pointers made (77), 3-pointers attempted (221) and most consecutive games with a made 3-pointer (30). She also tied for first in career 3-pointers made (256) and was second in 3-pointers attempted (695) and in career free throw percentage (.816). Majoring in communication studies and sociology, she also spent time doing community service in Mexico and hopes to become a teacher, coach or missionary. Two weeks ago, she signed a contract to play professionally in Germany for the upcoming 2017-18 season.
Vobejda, a native of Bielefeld, Germany, had one of his best seasons both on the pitch and in the classroom in 2016-17. The midfielder earned his first All-Pac-12 team selection by being named to the second team after scoring a career-best five goals and tallying two assists. He ranked top-10 in the conference in goals, goals per match and total points. Vobejda also earned his third-straight Pac-12 All-Academic team selection, including his second-consecutive second team honor, after posting a 3.48 GPA in psychology and earned four-straight Director's Honor Roll selections. His leadership extended beyond the field as he also served as a member of the Bruin Athletic council for two years.
Korver is the second UCLA women's basketball player ever to win the conference medal, joining Lindsey Pluimer (2007-08) to win the prestigious award while Vobejda is the sixth UCLA men's soccer player and the first since Joe Sofia (2013-14).
Conference medal winners have been named every year since the 1960-61 academic year. In 2009, the Pac-12 renamed the award the Tom Hansen Conference Medal in honor of Hansen, who retired at the end of June 2009 after serving for 26 years as Commissioner of the Pac-10.
2016-17 Pac-12 Tom Hansen Conference Medal Winners
Arizona - Aaron Castle, Track & Field; Laura Larson, Volleyball
Arizona State - Jared du Toit, Golf; Monica Vaughn, Golf
California - Ryan Murphy, Swimming; Farida Osman, Swimming
Colorado - Jaron Thomas, Track & Field; Haley Smith, Basketball
Oregon - Jayson Amos, Tennis; Maggie Schmaedick, Cross Country
Oregon State - Dustin Stanton, Football; Sydney Wiese, Basketball
Stanford - Akash Modi, Gymnastics; Maggie Steffens, Water Polo
UCLA - Felix Vobejda, Soccer; Kari Korver, Basketball
USC - Zach Banner, Football; Anika Apostalon, Swimming
Utah - Hunter Dimich, Football; Hannah Flippen, Softball
Washington - Justin Schmidt, Soccer; Kelsey Plum, Basketball
Washington State - Josh Hawkinson, Basketball; Nicole Hare, Rowing