Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year
received the Charger Award for the Outstanding Male Athlete. This award is given each year to the male athlete who has extraordinary athletic ability and has contributed the most to his team, the College and the world of sport. The award is a token of hard work, good judgment, understanding and determination.
Dunstan has received this award for an unprecedented third straight year.
As the Colby-Sawyer ski program transitioned from the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) to the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA), Shawn continued to show that he is one of the best skiers to ever don the Colby-Sawyer uniform. The EISA, which consists of Division I, II, and III schools, meant that Shawn competed at the absolute highest level of intercollegiate skiing. Racing on a weekly basis against the likes of skiing powerhouses such as Dartmouth, UNH, UVM, and Middlebury, Shawn proved he can compete with, and beat, Division I student-athletes; even those on full athletic scholarship. Rosters of some of the aforementioned schools consist of former U.S. Ski Team members, Canadian Ski Team members, Norwegian National Team members, former and current World Cup skiers, and even future National Team members.
Shawn's impressive season earned him a spot at the NCAA National Championships, which is an extremely exclusive championship with only 35 male student-athletes nationwide earning the right to race. Furthermore, only 18 quota spots are filled from the east; Shawn qualified in the 14th position. At the national stage, Shawn was competing against Division I skiers from the University of Colorado, University of Denver, University of Utah, University of New Mexico, Montana State, the University of Alaska and numerous talented skiers from the EISA. Shawn finished 29th in the giant slalom and 19th in slalom event.
For Shawn to work his way up the rankings throughout the winter and qualify for the NCAA National Championships in his first year attempting that feat, was not only an impressive accomplishment for him, but it had extremely positive implications for the Colby-Sawyer alpine ski program. Not only did his success publicize the alpine ski program and Colby-Sawyer regionally, but at the national level as well, solidifying the Chargers as a future contender amongst the best in the country.
