Faces In The Crowd

Lee Cruz
DADE CITY , FLA. > Baseball
Cruz, a senior outfielder at Tampa , led the Spartans to the NCAA Division II national title and was named the College World Series MVP and NCAA player of the year. His 26 home runs broke Tino Martinez 's single-season school record, and he was the 10th-round pick of the Chicago White Sox in the college draft.

Suzi Babos
SOPRON, HUNGARY > Tennis
Babos, a sophomore at California , defeated USC 's Lindsey Nelson 6--4, 6--1 to win the NCAA women's tennis singles championship. She became the first Golden Bear, the fifth sophomore and the 15th Pac-10 player in the tournament's 25-year history to win the title.

Macharia Yuot
PHILADELPHIA > Track & Field
Yuot, a senior at Widener, won three national titles (the 5,000 and 10,000 meters and the 3,000-meter steeplechase) at the Division III championships. He is the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year. One of the Lost Boys of the Sudan , orphans forced by war to trek hundreds of miles through the wilderness, he came to the U.S. in 2000.

Kristie Malinkey
LAGRANGE, OHIO > Softball
Kristie, a senior righthander at Keystone High, ended her 26--0 season by pitching a perfect game in the Wildcats' 7--0 win over Circleville for the Ohio Division II Championship. The three-time first-team All-Ohio selection has 15 career no-hitters, seven perfect games and a 70--6 record with a 0.30 ERA.

Mike McDonald
LATHAM, N.Y. > Lacrosse
McDonald, a sophomore attack at Le Moyne College, scored four goals with one assist to lead the 18--0 Dolphins to a 12--5 win over Dowling and the NCAA Division II Men's Championship. He was named the tournament's most outstanding player and led the team with 41 goals and 61 points for the season.

Lynnsey and Lauren Showers
KOKOMO , IND. > Golf
Lynnsey (far left) and Lauren, junior and freshman, respectively, at Butler, were named the Horizon League athlete and newcomer of the year. Lauren beat her sister Lynnsey on the first playoff hole to win the title at the league championships.