Fresno State Athletics
Mathews, Ross Named Bulldogs of the Year
6/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
June 21, 2010
FRESNO, Calif. - Every year, the local media votes on the Fresno State Athletes of the Year and this year they selected football's Ryan Mathews and Jaleesa Ross from the women's basketball team.
Mathews (Bakersfield, Calif.) was a first round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers this year after completing his junior year under head coach Pat Hill. Along with being named this year's team MVP, Mathews also earned First-Team All-WAC and Second-Team All-American honors.
Fresno State's No. 21 led the NCAA in rushing and set school single-season records for rushing yards (1,808) and touchdowns (19). Mathews becomes the first football player to earn this award since Dwayne Wright in 2007. In total, 14 football players have been honored.
Ross (Pinole, Calif.) becomes just the 10th athlete in Fresno State history to earn this award twice. The junior led the `Dogs back to the NCAA Tournament for the third-straight year after going a perfect 16-0 in WAC play. The `Dogs posted a 27-7 overall record and a school record 19-game winnings streak.
She was named the WAC Defensive Player of the Year and a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American. Ross broke Fresno State's career and single-season 3-point record by making 103 this past season. She now has 287 in her career. Ross is just the second women's basketball player to earn this award.
Other male nominees: Jordan Ribera (baseball), Bhavik Patel (golf), Remi Boutillier (tennis) and Frank Sanders (track and field).
Other female nominees: Lisa Wells (equestrian), Hali Coppin (golf), Haley Gilleland (softball), Stacey Luke (swimming and diving), Anastasia Petukhova (tennis), Rosario Sanchez (track and field) and Brianna Clarke (volleyball).
Past Fresno State Athletes of the Year
| Year | Male | Female |
| 2010 | Ryan Mathews, Football | Jaleesa Ross, Basketball |
| 2009 | Tom Mendonca, Baseball | Jaleesa Ross, basketball |
| 2008 | Steve Susdorf, Baseball | Morgan Melloh, Softball |
| 2007 | Dwayne Wright, Football | Melanie Gloria, Tennis |
| 2006 | Christian Vitters, Baseball | Katharina Winterhalter, Lucia Sainz, Tennis |
| 2005 | Logan Mankins, Football | Jamie Southern, Softball |
| 2004 | Richie Robnett, Baseball | Jelena Pandzic, Tennis |
| 2003 | Nick Watney, Golf | Chloe Carlotti, Tennis |
| 2002 | David Carr, Football | Jamie Southern, Softball |
| 2001 | Stephen Abas, Wrestling | Becky Witt, Softball |
| 2000 | Courtney Alexander, Basketball | Amanda Scott, Softball |
| 1999 | Stephen Abas, Wrestling | Dora Djilianova, Tennis |
| 1998 | Jeff Weaver, Baseball | Amanda Scott, Softball |
| 1997 | Giuseppe Chiaramonte, Baseball | Robyn Yorke, Softball |
| 1996 | Fredrik Bergh, Tennis | Nina Lindenberg, Softball |
| 1995 | Gerry Abas, Wrestling | Robyn Yorke, Softball |
| 1994 | Trent Dilfer, Football | Maureen Brady, Softball |
| 1993 | Lorenzo Neal, Football | Kim Maher, Softball |
| 1992 | Gerell Elliott, Soccer | Terry Carpenter, Softball |
| 1991 | Bobby Jones, Baseball | Julie Smith, Softball |
| 1990 | Ron Cox, Baseball | Martha Noffsinger, Softball |
| 1989 | Tom Goodwin, Baseball | Yvette Roberts, Basketball |
| 1988 | Lance Shebulut, Baseball | Melanie Parrent, Softball |
| 1987 | Doug Fraley, Track; Kevin Sweeney, Football | Wendy Martell, Basketball |
| 1986 | Doug Fraley, Track | Melanie Parrent, Softball |
| 1985 | Doug Fraley, Track | Ruth Lawanson, Volleyball |
| 1984 | John Hoover, Baseball | Renee Wyckiff, Track |
| 1983 | Henry Ellard, Football | Wende Ward, Softball |
| 1982 | Rod Higgins, Basketball | Wende Ward, Softball |
| 1981 | Matt Mileham, Track | |
| 1980 | Tim Norris, Golf | |
| 1979 | Vince Petrucci, Football | |
| 1978 | Dean Jones, Football | |
| 1977 | Steve Campbell, Track | |
| 1976 | Art Ruble, Swimming | |
| 1975 | Mike Giroux, Track | |
| 1974 | Roger George, Track | |
| 1973 | Mark Hance, Baseball | |
| 1972 | Jerry Pender, Basketball | |
| 1971 | Dick Ruthven, Baseball | |
| 1970 | Erkki Mistakari, Track | |
| 1969 | Tim McCall, Football | |
| 1968 | Mike Gallego, Wrestling | |
| 1967 | Larry Gonsalves, Baseball; Mike Gallego, Wrestling | |
| 1966 | Lonnie Hughes, Basketball | |
| 1965 | Dale Messer, Football | |
| 1964 | Beau Carter, Football | |
| 1963 | Eddie Davies, Wrestling | |
| 1962 | Bobby Paull, Baseball | |
| 1961 | Dale Messer, Football | |
| 1960 | Joel Spinola, Golf | |
| 1959 | Gary Alcorn, Basketball | |
| 1958 | Angel Robinson, Track |
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