TEMPE – At Wings of Gold on Monday night, women’s golf senior Ashley Menne and volleyball head coach JJ Van Niel earned the top awards to highlight the fundraising event which was held at the Omni Hotel in Tempe.
The highlight of the event were the two big awards given, which were the Heather Farr Award, which Menne won, and the Wings of Gold Linda Vollstedt Coach of the Year, which Van Niel won. Menne has been an All-American and a leader for the successful women’s golf team. Van Niel in his first season as the head coach led volleyball to a Sweet Sixteen and one of the winningest seasons in program history.
After the silent auction prior to the event, emcee Lina Washington, a sports reporter for 12 News in Phoenix and an ASU alumnus, first recognized the successes of the women’s sports programs at ASU throughout the recent athletic seasons. She mentioned another national championship for triathlon, volleyball’s Sweet Sixteen run, another tournament appearance for soccer, Sheila McInerney’s 40th season and the numerous academic accomplishments by the female student-athletes.
Three student-athletes spoke about their experiences to the crowd. Lindsay Looney, a swimmer, shared what it was like to come from a small town and still have Tempe feel like home. Beach volleyball’s Kate Fitzgerald talked about starting her own business and how ASU set her up for success. Finally, Andrea Kraetzer from soccer recounted her spring break when she went on a study abroad that was focused on marine conservation through ASU, helping her pursue her career goals outside of sports.
The Heather Farr Award was then awarded to Menne and was presented by Farr’s sister, current Sun Devil women’s golf head coach Missy Farr-Kaye. The award was named in honor of one of the most successful female student-athletes in school history. Farr passed away in November 1993 after a long, valiant fight against breast cancer. This award honors her legacy of what it means to be a great Sun Devil student-athlete.
“I’m deeply honored to stand before you tonight as the recipient of the Heather Farr award,” Menne said. “This recognition holds immense significance not just for me, but for all of those who’ve supported and inspired me along this journey. Heather Farr’s legacy as a tenacious competitor and a beacon of strength in the face of adversity continues to resonate…
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