Gagne Claims 65th Charles Orsborn Award

Orsborn Award is the most-prestigious honor annually presented to a Bradley University senior student-athlete

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications General 4/30/2018 8:45:00 PM

PEORIA, IL – An All-American performer with multiple Missouri Valley Conference team and individual championships who is pursuing his master's degree after already earning his bachelor's, senior runner Daniel Gagne (Wauwatosa, WI/East H.S.) is the 65th recipient of Bradley University's Charles Orsborn Award.

Culminating the annual end-of-year Bradley Athletics Kaboom! Awards show Monday night at Renaissance Coliseum, the Charles Orsborn Award is the most-prestigious honor Bradley University bestows on upon a graduating senior student-athlete and recognizes the ability of the winner to combine athletic and academic success with community service. Orsborn was a member of the Bradley Basketball's "Famous Five" that played in the first two National Invitation Tournaments in 1938 and 1939 and earned an invitation to the first NCAA Tournament in 1939. He went to coach the Braves to three NIT championships during his 9-year tenure from 1956-65, earning the distinction of Bradley Basketball Coach of the Century during the celebration of the program's first 100 seasons, and he served as Director of Athletics from 1965-78.

Gagne was selected this year's winner by Bradley University's Intercollegiate Athletics Committee from a pool of finalists that also included women's golfer Ally Scaccia (Arlington Heights, IL/Prospect H.S.) and soccer player Jacob Taylor (Dunlap, IL/Dunlap H.S.).

Bradley's 2016-17 Varsity Club Most Outstanding Male Athlete, Gagne earned second-team All-America honors by placing 15th in the 1,500 meters at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The runner-up at the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track Championships and the school record-holder in the event, Gagne became the first Bradley men's track and field athlete to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 42 years.

In addition to his All-America recognition, Gagne is a four-time MVC Indoor Track champion, winning the 2018 mile run, while participating as a member of the three-time (2015, 2017, 2018) champion distance medley relay team.

Gagne graduated from Bradley in 2017 with his bachelor's degree in business and he is on pace to earn his master's degree in just one year. He has qualified for the Bradley Athletic Director's Academic Honor Roll in each of his first nine semesters at Bradley, as well as the Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award in 2015 and 2017. A three-time MVC Scholar-Athlete, he also earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors in 2017.

His volunteer efforts began as a high school student in the Milwaukee area and have continued throughout his college career. Among the multiple organizations he has dedicated his time: Community Project for Seniors and Ronald McDonald House in Milwaukee, as well as numerous race events and grade school visits in Peoria.

2018 Kaboom! Awards
12th Coach Joe Stowell Awards – Ian Kristan (Baseball) and Kellee Clay (Women's Basketball)
35th Carl Grose Service Award – Malini Wijesinghe (Women's Tennis)
Individual Performances of the Year – Jake Hoffert (Men's Cross Country) and Frankie Saban (Women's Golf)
16th Megan Fong Inspiration Award – Rob Crull (Assistant Athletic Trainer)
20th Special Recognition Award – Steve Shaw (Braves Club Board Member)
18th Orville Nothdurft Lifetime Achievement Award – Gene Morse (Men's Basketball '59)
Team Performances of the Year – Men's Golf and Women's Cross Country
Highlight of the Year – Donte Thomas (Men's Basketball)
65th Charles Orsborn Award – Daniel Gagne (Men's Cross Country/Track)

The 2017-18 Varsity Club Most Outstanding Male and Female Athletes will be determined this summer following the completion of the baseball, softball and outdoor track seasons.

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