University Southern California Trojans
Anika Apostalon, Zach Banner Named USC'S 2017 Pac-12 Medal Winners
June 27, 2017 | Football, Women's Swimming & Diving
Both student-athletes were presented the award for exhibiting the greatest combination of scholarship, athletics and leadership.
LOS ANGELES--Academic All-American and NCAA champion swimmer Anika Apostalon and All-American offensive tackle Zach Banner were named USC's 2017 recipients of the Pac-12 Tom Hansen Conference Medals.
Each year, the league awards Conference Medals to a male and female senior student-athlete at each participating institution who exhibits the greatest combination of scholarship, athletics and leadership.
Apostalon was a nine-time All-American and eight-time NCAA individual scorer in her Trojan career. She was part of USC's 2016 NCAA and Pac-12 400-yard freestyle relay titles as well as the Women of Troy's first Pac-12 team champioinship in 2016. She also was a 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials semifinalist and was part of all five of USC's school record relays.
Apostalon, a USC co-captain as a senior, had a 3.92 grade point average as a psychology major. She made the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-American At-Large first team and was the 2017 Pac-12 Women's Swimming Scholar Athlete of the Year along with making the Pac-12 All-Academic first team. She also earned 2016 and 2017 College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Scholar-All-American first team status.
Banner started three seasons at left offensive tackle, earning All-American first team honors as a senior in 2016 when he also was a Senior CLASS Award finalist (for the nation's top senior in community/classroom/character/competition). A 2016 USC co-captain, he won the team's Community Service Award. He was a two-time All-Pac-12 first teamer and twice was named USC's Offensive Lineman of the Year.
He received his bachelor's degree from USC in communication prior to his senior season and began work on a second bachelor's in sociology. He received the 2017 Southern California Sports Broadcasters Post-Graduate Scholarship.
In 2009, the Pac-12 Conference Medal was re-named in honor of Tom Hansen, who retired in 2009 after serving for 26 years as Commissioner of the Pac-10.
USC'S ALLTIME PAC-12 MEDAL WINNERS
2016-2017: Zach Banner, Football; Anika Apostalon, Swimming
2015-16: Max de Vroome, Tennis; Samantha Bricio, Volleyball
2014-15: Cristian Quintero, Swimming; Zoe Scandalis, Tennis
2013-14: Devon Kennard, Football; Natalie Hagglund, Volleyball
2012-13: Matt Barkley, Football; Melanie Grindle, Rowing
2011-12: Daniel Nguyen, Tennis; Amanda Smith, Swimming
2010-11: Murphy Troy, Volleyball; Lizette Salas, Golf
2009-10: Jeff Byers, Football; Kally Lucas, Water Polo
2008-09: Mark Sanchez, Football; Rebecca Soni, Swimming
2007-08: Kaes Van't Hof, Tennis; Allison Jaskowiak Kennedy, Basketball
2006-07: Pavol Valovic, Water Polo; Anca Anastasiu, Tennis
2005-06: Juraj Zatovic, Water Polo; Blythe Hartley, Diving
2004-05: Ray Vincent, Swimming; Emily Adams, Volleyball
2003-04: Ruben Torres, Tennis; Kelly Graff, Water Polo
2002-03: Erik Vendt, Swimming; Tracy Lindquist, Volleyball
2001-02: Andrew Park, Tennis; Aniko Pelle, Water Polo
2000-01: Nick Jones, Golf; Rebecca Moneymaker, Rowing
1999-2000: Chad Morton, Football; Lisa Bartoli, Rowing
1998-99: Adam Abrams, Football; Adrain Williams, Basketball
1997-98: Jim Wren, Football; Jean Ellis Todisco, Swimming
1996-97: Randy Flores, Baseball; Kristine Quance, Swimming
1995-96: Balazs Kiss, Track & Field; Kelly Kuebler, Volleyball
1994-95: Brett Hansen, Tennis; Meika Wagner, Volleyball
1993-94: Brian Earley, Diving; Katie Haller, Volleyball
1992-93: Travis Hannah, Football; Elin Bartell, Swimming & Diving
1991-92: Greg Larson, Swimming; Tammy Story, Basketball
1990-91: Bryan Ivie, Volleyball; Lisa Dorman, Swimming
1989-90: NA
1988-89: Chip Hobson, Swimming; Nancy Hillman, Volleyball
1987-88: NA
1986-87: Jeff Bregel, Football; Rhonda Windham, Basketball
1985-86: Brian Henninger, Golf
1984-85: Wayne Carlander, Basketball
1983-84: John Yacovelle, Swimming
1982-83: Riki Gray, Football
1981-82: NA
1980-81: Craig Furniss, Water Polo
1979-80: NA
1978-79: Bruce Furniss, Swimming
1977-78: Rich Graybehl, Track & Field
1976-77: John Naber, Swimming
1975-76: Steve Furniss, Swimming
1974-75: Pat Haden, Football
1973-74: Dan Anderson, Basketball
1972-73: Dave Brown, Football
1971-72: Frank Heckl, Swimming
1970-71: Andy Strenk, Swimming
1969-70: Fred Khasigian, Football
1968-69: Steve Sogge, Football
1967-68: Stan Smith, Tennis
1966-67: Gary Carlsen, Track
1965-66: Roy Saari, Swimming
1964-65: Lew Hoyt, Track
1963-64: Bill Bond, Tennis
1962-63: Ken Del Conte, Football
1961-62: Murray Rose, Swimming
1960-61: Ron Stillwell, Baseball
