Fresno State Athletics
Harold Haak Scholarship Recipients to be Honored at Torch of Excellence Dinner
 |  Lucia Tallo is one of two Fresno State student-athletes who will be a recipient of the Harold Haak Scholarship Award at Monday's Kiwanis Torch of Excellent Dinner. |
April 22, 2004
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State juniors Lucia Tallo of the women's tennis team and Ian Mason of the men's track and field team will be announced as this year's recipients of the Harold Haak scholarship award at Monday's eighth annual Kiwanis Torch of Excellence Dinner. The award recognizes a female and male of junior eligibility who have posted at least a 3.5 GPA for two consecutive semesters, lettered in his or her sport and have maintained continuing eligibility.
Tallo, a mass communications and journalism major, is the tennis team's active leader in singles (67) and doubles (65) wins. She is currently ranked 19th in the nation in doubles with partner Jelena Pandzic and 84th in singles. A first-team All-WAC candidate in both singles and doubles last year, Tallo is a strong candidate for those honors again this season. The Swiss native has won at least 19 singles match in each of her three seasons at Fresno State and has twice led Fresno State into the top 10 in the national rankings (2002 and '04). Tallo currently owns a 33-3 all-time record at No. 1 doubles in dual matches and has has played No. 2 singles the past two seasons.
Mason, a long distance runner on Fresno State's track and field squad, was a Fresno State Scholar-Athlete and a Western Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete last year. In addition, the Alameda, Calif., native also garnered WAC All-Academic honors in 2003. Last year, Mason owned the team's best mark in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:12.71. He currently leads the team in the 5,000 meters this year and his season-best time in the 3,000 meters is second on the team.
The Kiwanis Torch of Excellence Dinner will take place at the Radisson Hotel Convention Center located in downtown Fresno on Monday. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will precede the dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Past Award Harold Haak Scholarship Award Winners
1997 - Kathryn Henry
1998 - Dora Djilianova
1999 - Renee Kops-Jones
2000 - Danny Risch
2001 - Lindsay Fossatti
2002 - Alex Mason
2003 - Lexine Lesser, Jose Rivas