Nabors, Bowling UC's Athletes of Year;
Forti wins Drinkard Award

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - The Union College Department of Athletics announced on April 24 that sophomore Johnnie Nabors and senior Amanda Bowling were selected as the Male and Female Athletes of the Year for 2006-07.

Also being honored was senior Rodrigo Forti, who received the Danny Drinkard Award. The Danny Drinkard Award goes to the student-athlete who not only excels on the field of play but in the classroom and in the community as well.

Nabors, a sprinter on the Bulldog track & field team, placed third in the 60 Meter Dash at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championship Meet in earning All-American honors. The Lawrenceville, Ga. native has qualified for three events at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championship Meet. He will compete in the 100 and 200 Meter dashes as well as part of the 4x100 Relay team.

Bowling, a setter on the Lady Bulldog volleyball team, finished the season with 1,427 assists and 523 digs to set the school record in each category. The Louisville, Ky. native had a hitting percentage of .309 with 283 kills. She ended her career with 5,006 assists. She was twice named the NAIA Setter of the Week, while collecting the conference honor seven times and the regional nod six times this season. Bowling received 26 weekly honors in her career. Union posted a 21-17 overall record as Bowling also earned a NAIA All-American Honorable Mention nod.

Forti, a member of the Bulldog swim team, participated at the NAIA Swimming & Diving National Championship Meet, helping Union to an 11th-place overall finish. He swam as part of the 200 Freestyle Relay and the 200 Medley Relay teams as they placed 10th and 11th, respectively, at nationals. Out of the pool, the Campinas, Brazil native was a Bonner Scholar for four years, being involved in a several community service projects. A 2007 NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Forti has maintained a very high grade-point average as he has pursued a triple major in Administration, Accounting, and Management with minor in Economics.