Czyz Among KU Connections Honored by Kansas City Sports Commission

June 20, 2006

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Former University of Kansas baseball player Don Czyz was among three people with KU ties honored at the 34th Annual Kansas City Sports Commission Awards Banquet Tuesday night at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. A native of Overland Park, Kan., Czyz earned the Kansas Male College Athlete of the Year award.

Also honored, was KU women’s basketball recruit Danielle McCray, winner of the Kansas High School Athlete of the Year Award and former Kansas track great Billy Mills, winner of the CASEY Award (Citation for Amateur Sports Excellence). Mills won the gold medal in the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Czyz helped lead the 2006 Kansas baseball squad to its first Big 12 Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Named the top closer in college baseball by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, Czyz leads the nation with 19 saves while sporting a 6-0 record with a 1.56 ERA. Czyz was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 7th round of the 2006 MLB draft.

McCray, a 6-0 forward, from Olathe (Kan.) East High School ranks as the 30th overall player and the seventh-best wing in the country by ASGR, McCray is the highest rated player in the 2006 signing class. Also a standout in track and field, McCray is a Kansas state champion in the discus, shot put and triple jump.