Bradley University Athletics

Gagne and Lerma Named Varsity Club Most Outstanding Athletes

2016-17 Varsity Club Most Outstanding Athlete

Varsity Club Most Outstanding Athletes

Men's Track and Field 7/24/2017 12:00:00 PM

Track All-American Daniel Gagne (Wauwatosa, Wis.) and record-setting women's basketball player Leti Lerma (Muscatine, Iowa) have been honored as the Bradley Varsity Club Men's and Women's Most Outstanding Athletes for the 2016-17 season.

Gagne is the first member of the men's track and field program to receive the accolade since Jim Potter in 1973 and just the second overall since the award was introduced in 1967. Lerma, meanwhile, becomes the eighth member of the women's basketball team to receive the recognition.

Named to the USTFCCCA All-America Second Team, Gagne became the first Bradley man to qualify for the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championship in 42 years (Potter in 1975). At the national championship, the junior placed 15th in the country in the 1,500m run to earn his All-America accolades. Gagne also received All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in the event, finishing as runner-up at the conference championship, while setting the school record with a time of 3:43.08 at the Bryan Clay Invitational in April.

Additionally, Gagne was part of the distance medley relay team that won the conference title at the MVC Indoor Championship, running the 1,200m leg as Bradley set a school record at 10:02.07 to win the crown – Gagne's second career MVC championship in the event.

Lerma graduated from Bradley as the program's all-time leading rebounder, establishing school records with 844 career boards and 324 single-season rebounds in 2016-17. Named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team and All-Defensive Team, the senior led the Braves with 11.7 points per game to go with a Valley-leading 10.8 rebounds per game. Lerma's 10.8 boards per game ranked 12th nationally, while also placing 10th in the country in offensive rebounds (4.3) and 34th in double-doubles (13).

The program's first member of the All-MVC First Team since 2008-09, Lerma was one of four players in the nation and the first conference player since 2011-12 to collect 350 points, 320 rebounds, 65 assists, 15 blocks and 40 or more steals in a single season.

After graduating, Lerma signed a professional contract to continue her career in Romania.

Each year, the Bradley Department of Athletics presents the annual Bradley Varsity Club Men's and Women's Most Outstanding Athlete Awards. In order to be eligible for the award, active student-athletes must have earned All-Missouri Valley Conference recognition during the current athletic year and the winner is determined by votes from head coaches, selected staff members and local sports media in addition to an online fan vote.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#23 Leti Lerma: F; 5' 10"; Senior

Daniel Gagne: Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

#23 Leti Lerma
: 5' 10"; Senior
: F

Daniel Gagne
: Redshirt Junior

Gagne and Lerma Named Varsity Club Most Outstanding Athletes

Players Mentioned

#23 Leti Lerma

Daniel Gagne

Players Mentioned

#23 Leti Lerma

Daniel Gagne