May 5, 1999
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The John Purdue Club has announced the selection of seniors Kristin Billen, Ukari Figgs and Toyinda Smith as the 1999 Red Mackey Award winners. The award, which is funded by John Purdue Club members, entitles the winners to a full-paid scholarship for continued study at Purdue for the 1999-2000 school year.
The Red Mackey Award, established in 1971, is named for former Purdue athletic director Guy "Red" Mackey, who served as athletic director from 1942-71. The inspiration for the award bearing his name stemmed from his leadership, loyalty, integrity and concern for others. The criteria for nomination include a competitive spirit and a positive attitude, loyalty and self-discipline, hard work for the best interest of the team and a willingness to help others. Each of Purdue's 18 intercollegiate athletic teams nominates student-athletes for the award, and a committee of athletic department staff selects three of those nominees.
Billen, a first baseman from Manchester, Mo. (Parkway South High School), was a two-time captain for the Purdue softball team. As of May 2, Billen ranks first all-time in putouts (1,321) and ranks in the top five all-time in both games played (216) and walks (39). This season Billen has recorded 43 hits, 23 RBI and 12 runs. Her 452 putouts in 1999 top Purdue's single season list. Billen, an organizational leadership and supervision major, was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Figgs, a guard from Georgetown, Ky. (Scott County High School), helped the Purdue women's basketball team capture the 1999 NCAA national championship, the first in school history. Named the Most Outstanding Player of the Women's Final Four, Figgs averaged 16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for the Boilermakers for the 1998-99 season. Figgs was a three-year starter and finished her career ranked first in free throw percentage (.841) and is in the top five in games played (125, 2nd), three pointers (174, 2nd), minutes (3,633, 4th) and minutes per game (30.5, 4th). She set the season record for free throw percentage (.863) and three pointers (69) last season. A first team All-Big Ten selection, Figgs garnered honorable mention All-America acclaim by both the Associated Press and Kodak.
Smith, a thrower from Gary, Ind. (Lew Wallace High School), won a 1999 NCAA national championship in the indoor 20-pound weight throw with a Big Ten-record toss of 68-08.75. Smith won the same event at the Big Ten Championships with a throw of 61-07, helping the Boilermakers to a second-place conference finish. Smith has won a total of four Big Ten championships, including back-to-back titles in the indoor weight throw in 1998 and '99. She was Purdue's first ever thrower to garner All-America honors after placing fourth in the weight throw at the 1998 national meet.