Kemba, Cochran to be honored by CSWA

Kemba Walker, who guided UConn on its magical run to the 2011 NCAA men's basketball championship, will receive the Bill Lee Male Athlete of the Year award from the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance.

In addition, Shannon Gagne of the University of New Haven, who captured five titles at the NCAA Division II track and field championships, will receive the Hank O'Donnell Female Athlete of the Year award and Masuk quarterback Casey Cochran has been named the inaugural recipient of the Hal Levy High School Athlete of the Year award.

All three will be honored at the 71st annual Gold Key Dinner on April 29 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

Walker put together one of the most remarkable postseason runs in college basketball history as the junior guard led UConn to 11 straight wins. The first five came in the Big East tournament, where the ninth-seeded Huskies became the first school to win five games in five days en route to the title.

He was just getting started, however. Walker sparked UConn to six more wins in the NCAA tournament, culminating with a 53-41win over Butler in the finals, in which he had a team-high 16 points and nine rebounds as the Huskies claimed their third national championship.

Walker, now a rookie with the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats, averaged 23.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists. He was the Big East Player of the Year, a consensus first team All-American and won the Bob Cousy Award as the nation's top point guard.

Gagne a graduate of Lyman Hall in Wallingford, captured three national titles during the indoor season and won two more during the outdoor season, becoming only the third athlete in Division II history to win five national titles in one year.

She won the 200, 400 and long jump at the NCAA indoor championships in Albuquerque, N.M., and added national titles in the 200 and 400 at the outdoor meet in Turlock, Calif.

Cochran recently completed one of the most successful high school carers in state history, finishing as the career leader in passing yards, completions and touchdown passes.

This past season at Masuk, Cochran passed for 3,041 yards and 37 touchdowns while completing 152 of 225 passes (.713). He also rushed for five TDs as he led the Panthers to an 11-1 record and the Class L state semifinals.

The two-time Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year led the Panthers to a state title in 2010 and helped New London win the Class SS state title as a freshman in 2008. Cochran graduated from Masuk in December and has already enrolled at UConn, where he will continue his career.

- Day Staff Reports