The 2020 Alaska Hall of Fame Director’s Award winners were released on Wednesday, June 24th with selections in three categories: Pride of Alaska Award, Joe Floyd Award, and the Trajan Langdon Award.
Pride of Alaska
NCAA All-American basketball player Ruthy Hebard of Fairbanks and junior World Champion cross-country skier Gus Schumacher of Anchorage have been selected as 2020 Pride of Alaska Award winners by the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
Hebard recently wrapped up her college basketball career at the University of Oregon, where she became just the second Alaska woman ever to record 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. This season as a senior she won the Katrina McClain Award given to the country’s top power forward and earned consensus First Team All-American honors.
Schumacher made US Ski Team history in March when he became the first American male to win an individual Junior World Championship. He also anchored the American relay team to a gold medal and was named winner of the Beck International Trophy, the top U.S. Ski & Snowboard award dating to the 1930s.
The Pride of Alaska Award is given to an athlete or athletes, team or coach who have not only excelled in sports in the past year or recent years, but have done so with integrity and sportsmanship and been a positive role model.
Hebard and Schumacher were among a handful of Directors’ Award winners announced Wednesday by Alaska Sports Hall of Fame executive director Harlow Robinson and board vice president Matt Carle via Facebook live.
“Ruthy and Gus are two tremendous athletes achieving great things early in life,” said Robinson. “The sky is the limit for both of them and we look forward to watching them continue to represent Alaska on the biggest stages.”
Joe Floyd Award: Cristy Hickel
Anchorage’s Cristy Hickel won the 2020 Joe Floyd Award.
Hickel founded SPYDER Soccer 30 years ago and has provided opportunities in sports leagues to thousands of Alaska youth. Better known as ‘Crusher,’ she also coaches the Alaska All-Stars nationals-bound Under-16 and Under-19 girls hockey teams and has helped more than 200 women reach the college hockey level.
The Joe Floyd Award is based on significant and lasting contribution to Alaska through sports.
Trajan Langdon Award: Israel Hale
Israel Hale became the first double-leg amputee ever to participate in the Iron Dog race. No amputee had ever competed in the Iron Dog – much less a double amputee without prosthetics. Hale made history with his brother Joseph. They were the first-place team in the recreational class of the 1,000-plus mile snowmachine race.
The Trajan Langdon Award is given to a person or group of people who have demonstrated leadership, integrity and sportsmanship during the past year and positively influenced and inspired others to be better sportsmen or sportswomen.
Director Award Finalist
Sydnee Kimber and Sadie Maubet Bjornsen (Women’s Pride of Alaska); Marko Cheseto and Aaron Fletcher (Men’s Pride of Alaska); Carol Seppilu and Keegan Messing (Trajan Langdon Award); Milo Griffin and Ed Strabel (Joe Floyd Award).
Directors’ Awards have been handed out annually since 2012.
For additional information about the Directors’ Awards and previous winners visit http://alaskasportshall.org/honor/directors-awards/ .
Director’s Award recipients will be recognized on a plaque at the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame gallery at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International airport.
The Alaska Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors are Jason Metrokin (President), Matt Carle (Vice President), Chris Myers (Treasurer/Secretary), Chuck Homan, Nina Kemppel, Gina Luckey, Rick Mystrom, Eric Ohlson, and Bill Pearson. Harlow Robinson is the Executive Director.
The Alaska Sports Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in June 2006. The mission of the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame is to teach, to honor and to inspire.