Duarte, Poole selected at SAAC Pirate Anchor Award Winners

GEORGETOWN, Texas - In Southwestern University campus-wide voting, seniors Lilly Duarte and Daniel Poole have been selected as the 2013-14 male and female Pirate Anchor Award winners. The award was presented at the annual Southwestern University Leadership Banquet on Thursday night.

Duarte has blazed a trail at Southwestern, both in the classroom and in competition for the track & field and cross country teams. A Physics major with a 3.838 GPA, Duarte has been on the Dean’s list every semester and is a Mood Scholar and Dixon Scholar at Southwestern.

Duarte has led the Pirates as an All-SCAC competitor in track and cross country. This past fall, Duarte earned a spot at the NCAA Championships, just the second Pirate runner to earn the honor, after finishing eighth at the SCAC Championships and ninth at Regionals.

Duarte is the current record holder in a host of events, including the 5K and 6K cross country records and 800 meter run on the track while also being a part of the record-holding 4x400 relay team. She has been named SCAC Athlete of the Week seven times in her career.

On campus, Duarte is a member of Sigma Phi Lambda, is a Spanish Mentor at Annie Purl Elementary and also mentors Georgetown High School students. Duarte has also taken the reigns in SU’s partnership with The Locker, helping homeless children in Georgetown ISD.

Poole is majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in computer science and boasts a 3.533 GPA while competing in soccer and track & field for the Pirates.

At Southwestern, Poole has been a treasurer for Kappa Alpha Order and member of Alpha Epsilon Delta, Omicron Delta Kappa and the American Chemical Society and has also been on the Dean’s List.

Poole has excelled on the field as well, earning SCAC Player of the Week honors four times. He was named SCAC Tournament Defensive MVP this season and was named MVP by his teammates the past two seasons. Poole was a Second Team All-SCAC selection and Third Team All-Region pick in soccer and was the 2013 SCAC Event Champion in the Javelin in 2013 and was the SU Field MVP in 2011. Poole also holds the record for the Javelin, and most saves in a match and season in soccer.

Poole has also been very active in the community, taking four mission trips and earned his Eagle Rank with the Boy Scouts of America in 2009. He is a Chemistry Research Assistant at Southwestern, Athletic Training Room Assistant, lifeguard, Resident Assistant, Head Resident Assistant and served as a soccer official for seven years.

Other finalists for the 2013 Pirate Anchor Award were Justin Broussard (Football), Mike Cantu (Men’s Basketball), Lindsay Jakszta (Women's Soccer) and Mara Weidmann (Women’s Swimming & Diving).

The Anchor Award symbolizes the individual(s) who keeps the seas calm in times of turmoil and strife and is presented annually by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) to the male and female athlete who best display a number of traits that embody the spirit and character of the SU community. The winners are voted on by any members of the Southwestern student body, faculty and staff.

Previous winners of the award are: