Bajema Wins Tom Hansen Medal As Top UW Senior
June 11, 2020 | Beach Volleyball, Volleyball
SEATTLE – Senior All-American outside hitter Kara Bajema today was named the Washington female recipient of the 2019-20 Tom Hansen Medal. Awarded by the Pac-12 conference annually to each member institution's outstanding senior male and female student-athlete, the medal is based on the exhibition of the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership. Kasey French of Men's Soccer was the UW men's recipient.
Conference medal winners have been named every year since the 1960-61 academic year. In 2009, the Pac 12 renamed the award the Tom Hansen Conference Medal in honor of Hansen, who retired at the end of June 2009 after serving for 26 years as Commissioner of the Pac-10.
Bajema is the first volleyball player to win Washington's Tom Hansen Medal since Melanie Wade in 2015-16. Other Husky volleyball winners include Krista Vansant (2014-15), Christal Morrison (2007-08), Courtney Thompson (2006-07), Paige Benjamin (2002-03), and Lisa McCammond (1989-90).
Bajema (Lynden, Wash.) graduates this quarter with a degree in Education, Communities, & Organizations with a 3.20 grade point average.
She earned All-America First Team honors in the fall, leading the Huskies to the NCAA Elite Eight and a 27-7 overall record. Washington ranked No. 6 in the final AVCA poll. Bajema broke the UW single season kills record that had stood since 2002, as she piled up 597 kills in 2019. She was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week a record five times and was named the AVCA Pacific North Region player of the Year.
Bajema was also playing in the No. 1 spot on the Husky Beach Volleyball team when the beach season was suspended in March.
2019-20 Pac-12 Tom Hansen Conference Medal Winners
Conference medal winners have been named every year since the 1960-61 academic year. In 2009, the Pac 12 renamed the award the Tom Hansen Conference Medal in honor of Hansen, who retired at the end of June 2009 after serving for 26 years as Commissioner of the Pac-10.
Bajema is the first volleyball player to win Washington's Tom Hansen Medal since Melanie Wade in 2015-16. Other Husky volleyball winners include Krista Vansant (2014-15), Christal Morrison (2007-08), Courtney Thompson (2006-07), Paige Benjamin (2002-03), and Lisa McCammond (1989-90).
Bajema (Lynden, Wash.) graduates this quarter with a degree in Education, Communities, & Organizations with a 3.20 grade point average.
She earned All-America First Team honors in the fall, leading the Huskies to the NCAA Elite Eight and a 27-7 overall record. Washington ranked No. 6 in the final AVCA poll. Bajema broke the UW single season kills record that had stood since 2002, as she piled up 597 kills in 2019. She was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week a record five times and was named the AVCA Pacific North Region player of the Year.
Bajema was also playing in the No. 1 spot on the Husky Beach Volleyball team when the beach season was suspended in March.
2019-20 Pac-12 Tom Hansen Conference Medal Winners
| School | Men | Women |
| Arizona | Stone Gettings, Basketball | Tatum Waggoner, Track & Field |
| Arizona State | Tanner Hall, Wrestling | Robbi Ryan, Basketball |
| California | Simon Lekressner, Soccer | Abbey Weitzeil, Swimming & Diving |
| Colorado | Joe Klecker, Cross Country & Track | Jalen (J.J.) Tompkins, Soccer |
| Oregon | Justin Herbert, Football | Satou Sabally, Basketball |
| Oregon State | Tres Tinkle, Basketball | Mikayla Pivec, Basketball |
| Stanford | Tanner Beason, Soccer | Morgan Hentz, Volleyball |
| UCLA | Darnay Holmes, Football | Madison Kocian, Gymnastics |
| USC | Henry Fusaro, Swimming & Diving | Louise Hansson, Swimming |
| Utah | Terrell Burgess, Football | Guro Jordheim, Skiing |
| Washington | Kasey French, Soccer | Kara Bajema, Volleyball & Beach Volleyball |
| Washington State | Anthony Gordon, Football | Morgan Weaver, Soccer |
Players Mentioned
/ Beach Volleyball
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