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2008-09 Apprentice School Athletes Of The Year - Rahshann Lewter and Cecil Lee
When one sets out to determine an Athlete Of The Year award winner, several factors are considered during the decision making process. Obviously how an athlete fares on their field of competition is one thing, but at The Apprentice School, how they handle themselves in the classroom and on the job will most certainly influence the final decision.
The selections for the 2008-2009 honor had senior seasons loaded with accolades that distinguished themselves. One became the first four-time All-American in his sport while the other rewrote the record books and planted her name into future "All-Time Greats" conversation.
For the 2008-2009 athletic year, senior wrestler, Cecil Lee, and senior women's basketball player, Rahshann Lewter, will be honored as The Apprentice School Athletes Of The Year.
Rahshann Lewter
A Hampton High School graduate, Lewter became the seventh Lady
Builder in school history to break the 1,000-point mark this year
in a road win over Columbia Union College.
She finished her career ranked in the top five in 13 categories, including leading in assists (476), minutes played (3,353) along with being second in another seven categories. Lewter ended her career fourth on the all-time scoring list (1,232 points) and went out with history in her last game as she recorded the first post-season triple-double for the Lady Builders with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a loss to Robert Morris University Springfield.
Lewter, a Production Planner apprentice, earned more than her share of accolades in her playing career. She was a three-time U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association All-American and a two-time USCAA All-Academic Team selection. Lewter joined Anita Allen as the only three-time USCAA All-Americans in school history and also became the first Lady Builder to earn Apprentice School Athlete Of The Year honors since Allen did it in 2003-04.
Other accolades included a two-time Virginia Sports Information Directors Association All-State College Division honor (second team) and this year was named to the honorable mention All-State College Division team by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
All of this is done while participating in the Advanced Apprenticeship program and obtaining her Associates of Business Administration degree through The Apprentice School's partnership with Thomas Nelson Community College.
"Rahshann is one of the hardest working people that I know," said Apprentice School Head Coach Lanica Williams. "As a player, she led our team in so many different ways from scoring to distributing to motivating others. As a student, she has worked diligently to maintain over a 3.5gpa, is well respected on the job by her supervisors and instructors and has all the intangibles that a person needs in order to be successful. Rahshann is a very bright and intellegent young lady, with a fire and competiveness, who just epitomizes what it is to be a true student-athlete. She has contributed greatly to the overall success of this program and will continue to be the example of a model apprentice that I use to recruit young ladies to the Apprentice School."
Cecil Lee
A native of Portsmouth, Va., Lee broke several barriers in route to
a record-setting season on the wrestling mat as his Builders won
their first National Collegiate Wrestling Association National
Championship.
A shipfitter apprentice who graduated in February, Lee finished his senior season with a 4-1 victory over Tim Rose from Amherst College to win the 2009 NCWA Heavyweight National Championship. That win gave him a school record 46 victories for the season to break the school mark held by assistant coach Micah Amrozowicz with 45. He became the ninth Builder wrestler to win a national title and the first since 2002.
On the way to his 46 wins and national championship, Lee became the second wrestler in the last 19 years to surpass 100 career victories and he broke that mark in dramatic fashion. In an elimination round matchup against NCAA Division I Wagner College he recorded an 8-0 major decision victory for his 100th win which gave the Builders a 24-20 team win at the Virginia Duals on January 9, 2009.
The next event for Lee saw him break the school career wins mark with a pinfall in 54 seconds over Kenneth Wade of Kennesaw State University in the Builder Invitational on January 24, 2009. For Lee's career portfolio he ended with 124 wins (first all-time), a career winning percentage of 69.66% (tenth all-time) and 51 falls (first all-time). Along with his single-season record of 46-9, he had 17 falls (fourth best in a single season).
"What can you say about a guy that wins a National Title, sets the win and pin career record, the single season win record and is the friendliest heavyweight around," said Apprentice School Head Coach Bruce Shumaker. "Cecil worked hard and made it all happen this season. He helped lead our team to a National Championship and we could not be more proud of him for what he accomplished."
