PHOTOS
 

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology athletic department presented Ruel Fox Burns Blankets to seniors Jailen Hobbs and Precious Saelee to highlight the 2023 Athletic Honors and Awards Presentation on Tuesday night at Hatfield Hall.

The Ruel Fox Burns Blanket, presented to the department's top senior male and female athletes as voted by the coaching staff, has been presented to outstanding Engineer student-athletes since 1968. The award winners are judged as making the most impact on the athletic program over the past four years.

Hobbs is the first two-sport All-American in school history for football and track & field. He is a 5-time NCAA Division III Track National Qualifier, a 2-time Track All-American, a 3-time football All-American, a 6-time HCAC Sprint Athlete of the Year, and a 3-time HCAC Special Teams Player of the year. He has multiple kick and punt return school records and holds the fastest times in school history in the indoor 60-meter dash, indoor 200-meter dash, the outdoor 100-meter dash, outdoor 200-meter dash, and the outdoor 4x100-meter relay.

Saelee is a two-time HCAC Women's Golfer of the Year and 2023 WGCA All-Region selection. She is a 4-time first-team All-HCAC honoree and a 4-time NCAA Division III National Championship qualifier. She has led the Fightin' Engineers women's golf team to five consecutive HCAC team titles and four NCAA Championship appearances. She is the school record holder in career scoring average and single-season scoring average.

The athletic department also awarded the Rose-Hulman Varsity R Club Outstanding Senior of the Year Award. The award recognizes outstanding achievement by one male and one female student-athlete during their senior playing seasons, although this year there were two award winners on the women's side due to a tied vote.

Women's Varsity R Club Outstanding Senior of the Year award winners included Allie Fults and Kyra Hicks. Fults received 1^st-team all-conference in both 2023 and 2024. She set countless school records including ranking second in block assists in a single match with 9, ranking third in total blocks in a five-set match with 11, and ranking sixth in school history in career solo blocks with 103 and career block assists with 203. She totaled 174 kills with a team-high .236 hitting percentage during her senior year. She also led the team with 35 solo blocks and 69 block assists in her final season. Hicks is a four-year letter winner for the Fightin' Engineers and a two-time 2^nd-team All-HCAC selection. She finished her career ranking third in career penalty kick goals with two, sixth in career goals with 27, and sixth in goals per game with 0.44. This season she led the team with 10 goals and 22 points playing in all 17 games.

On the men's side, Caleb Urban captured the Varsity R Club Award. Urban is the first 2-time All-American in Rose-Hulman men's soccer history and has broken multiple school records. The 2-time First Team All-Region honoree received his second HCAC Midfielder of the Year award this year. He has also been a 1^st -team All-HCAC selection four years in a row. He is now the career school record holder with 33 assists after his final season. He also ranks fifth in career shots with 172, and 10^th in career points with 65.

The John Logan Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average and competed in the same sport for four years. 

On the men's side, Peter Jacob captured the John A. Logan Award with a 3.96 grade point average. Jacob is a two-year varsity letter winner and a two-time Academic All-HCAC honoree during his four seasons with the men's soccer program.

On the women's side, there were three winners with a perfect 4.0 grade point average including soccer player Tracy Orgera, tennis player Ella Dorfmueller, and volleyball player Kate Wood. Orgera is a four-year letter winner for the women's soccer team and a four-time Academic All-HCAC team honoree. Dorfmueller is a three-year varsity letter winner and was named CSC Academic All-District and all-HCAC honorable mention during her career as a Fightin' Engineer. Wood is a four-year varsity letter winner and was named 2^nd-Team All-HCAC in 2023. She is also a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree and Academic All-HCAC honoree.

The Samuel Hulbert Award, named for the President at Rose-Hulman who retired after 28 years of service in 2004 and passed away in 2016, is presented to the male and female senior athletes who contribute the most in terms of team spirit, sportsmanship, and a determination to succeed. 

Dalton Busboom took home the men's Sam Hulbert Award, with Kylie Rathbun capturing the women's award. Busboom has led by example, excelling in the classroom after being named CSC Academic All-District and Academic All- HCAC in 2023. He helped lead the Fightin' Engineers to an HCAC Tournament appearance this season as the #3 seed. More than any stats can describe, his positive attitude and support for his teammates contributed to building a strong culture around the baseball team during his four years with the program. Rathbun has also been an outstanding student receiving CSC Academic all-district and Academic All-HCAC multiple times, and she has been named to both the All-HCAC Honorable Mention Team and the HCAC Sportsmanship Team. This player has been described by her coaches as versatile, stepping into different roles throughout her career to do whatever she can to make the team better. Her motivation and driven attitude has rubbed off on her teammates to create a great environment for her teams to improve.

Kyle Rhodes was awarded the John Mutchner Award, presented to the gentleman who has unselfishly given time and support to the athletic department. Rhodes has been involved in helping our Rose-Hulman football and basketball teams by volunteering his time to work the game clocks and scoreboards at a majority of our home events. He is also a key member of the student affairs team that has helped develop programs for our coaches and staff to help us stay organized and run the athletic offices more efficiently. His work with the student affairs team has provided valuable support to our student-athletes to help advance their experience here on campus.

Jill Butcher received the Rosie Award, presented to the woman who has unselfishly given time and support to the athletic department. Butcher has worked diligently to help schedule visits for recruits and provide assistance with admissions for incoming student-athletes. Her hard work has helped us bring in multiple incredibly talented student-athletes to Rose-Hulman.

The Jess Lucas Spirit Award is presented annually to an individual or group whose support of the athletic department moves above and beyond the norm. This years award was split between Peyton Miller and Tom Rogge. Miller is a student worker that has helped our department with a variety of miscellaneous jobs such as working concession stands, helping set up and tear down events, and supporting our varsity athletic teams. Rogge has been a member of the Rose-Hulman community for 12 years and has made a point to be in the gym or at the field for as many Fightin' Engineer home events as he can every single year. His work in printing in the Branam Innovation and Kremer Innovation Centers at Rose-Hulman is also a major help to everyone in the Rose-Hulman athletic department to help provide a first-class experience for all student-athletes and fans alike.