May 31, 2012
CHICAGO - Junior Declan Murray (Strongsville, Ohio/Saint Ignatius) and sophomore Brittany Gardner (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) have been selected as Loyola University Chicago's Athletes of the Month for the month of May, it was announced today. This marks the second time that both Murray and Gardner have earned the award this season.
Murray, who also was named Loyola's Male Athlete of the Month in January, capped an outstanding outdoor track and field season by placing 13th in the 800m at the NCAA West Regional. A time of 1:49.03 at the NCAA West Regional fell a mere .05 seconds shy of qualifying Murray for the NCAA Championships.
One of the top middle-distance runners in the country, Murray also captured the Horizon League Outdoor title in the 800m for the second straight year, posting a Horizon League Championship record time of 1:49.86 earlier this month.
These excellent accomplishments wrap up a remarkable season for Murray, who qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 800m and was named a USTFCCCA Second Team All-American along with teammate James McLachlan, giving the Ramblers their first All-America selections in track and field since 1992.
Gardner earned Loyola Female Athlete of the Month accolades for the second consecutive month after going 2-1 with a 0.97 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 21.2 innings in May. The lefthander became the fourth Rambler ever to be named Horizon League Pitcher of the Year when she garnered that honor, as well as Fist Team All-Horizon League recognition, for the second straight season. In May, she was named National Fastpitch Coaches Association Second Team All-Great Lakes Region to become only the fifth player in program history, and the first since 2008, to earn all-region status.
The month of May couldn't have opened in any grander fashion for Gardner. Already one of the most decorated pitchers in Loyola history despite pitching just two seasons, the southpaw recorded the sixth no-hitter in Horizon League Championship history, as well as her second of the 2012 campaign, when she blanked Green Bay in a 2-0 victory on May 10. One day later she struck out 14 batters, one shy of her career high set earlier this season, in Loyola's 9-1, six-inning win versus Butler.
Gardner was named Horizon League Championship Pitcher of the Tournament and was chosen to the all-tournament team after her stellar performances, which helped the Ramblers reach the Horizon League Championship title game for the first time since 2004.
For the year, Gardner went 18-10 with a 2.69 ERA, 17 complete games, 10 shutouts and 205 strikeouts in 169.1 innings. Her 205 strikeouts and 10 shutouts set Loyola single-season records.
