Farney, Denzer, Haney Top Senior Athletes

Laura Farney, Jake Denzer and Matt Haney were named the top senior student-athletes at Arkansas Tech University for the 2011-12 academic year during a banquet at Chambers Cafeteria East Dining Hall on Wednesday night.

Farney (photographed, middle) received the honor of most outstanding senior female student-athlete at Arkansas Tech, while Denzer (photographed, far right) and Haney (photographed, far left) shared the most outstanding senior male student-athlete award.

A product of Morton, Ill., Farney earned four letters as a member of the Arkansas Tech volleyball team. She was named a 2011 American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II All-America honorable mention selection.

Farney made 469 kills, 396 digs and 44 blocks during the 2011 season. She helped the Golden Suns finish with an overall record of 35-4 and a Great American Conference mark of 16-0.

Arkansas Tech won the inaugural GAC regular season and postseason championships, and the Golden Suns earned a berth in the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament for just the second time in school history.

Farney finished her four-year Golden Suns career ranked among the program’s all-time leaders in career kills (3rd, 1,460) and career digs (4th, 1,136).

She is one of just four Arkansas Tech volleyball players to accumulate 1,000 or more kills and 1,000 or more digs in a career.

Farney was a two-time Gulf South Conference All-Academic team selection and a three-time honoree on the GSC Academic Honor Roll.

Denzer was a four-year letterman for the Arkansas Tech football program.

A native of Elkins, he played fullback, tight end and punter for the Wonder Boys. He was a member of the 2009 Tech team that reached the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

Denzer became the seventh football student-athlete in Arkansas Tech  history to earn Academic All-America honors when he was named to the 2011 Capital One NCAA Division II Academic All-America second team in recognition of his performance on the football field and in the classroom.

Denzer punted 54 times for 2,085 yards during his senior season. His 38.6 yards per punt average ranked sixth in the Great American Conference.

Fifteen of Denzer’s 2011 punts were down inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, and his longest punt of the season was a 72-yard boot.

Denzer also caught two passes for 21 yards and was an integral part of Arkansas Tech’s run-blocking scheme from his tight end position.

He earned a spot on the GSC Academic Honor Roll three years and was a member of the 2010 GSC All-Academic team.

Haney earned three letters as a guard for the Arkansas Tech men’s basketball program.

The Dardanelle product appeared in 29 games and made 21 starts for the 2011-12 Wonder Boys. Arkansas Tech was 26-6 overall, regular season champion of the GAC, champion of the GAC Tournament and a Sweet 16 team in the NCAA Division II Tournament during Haney’s senior season.

Haney averaged 9.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in 2011-12. For his career, he appeared in 80 games and made 27 starts. The Dardanelle product scored 484 points and made 91 3-pointers during his three years in the green and gold.

A two-time GSC Academic Honor Roll honoree, Haney was a part of three NCAA Tournament teams and 81 wins in three years at Arkansas Tech.

The most outstanding senior student-athlete awards at Arkansas Tech are based upon athletic performance, academic achievement, service to others and coaches’ recommendations. The winners are selected by the Arkansas Tech faculty athletic committee.

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