WSU Tom Hansen Conference Medal Award winners announced
Award is given to one outstanding male and female senior athlete
WSU guard Krystal Leger-Walker (4) dribbles towards the hoop during a college basketball game against San Jose State University, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, in Pullman.
June 26, 2022
WSU women’s basketball player Krystal Leger-Walker and distance runner Colton Johnsen are this year’s recipients of WSU’s Tom Hansen Conference Medal.
The award is given out at the end of all athletic activities to one senior male and female athlete from the university-based off on a combination of athletic performance as well as academic achievement and leadership.
Leger-Walker earned an undergraduate degree in finance and management and is currently working on earning a master’s degree in sports management.
Leger-Walker was on the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll list for two years in 2021-22 and earned the program’s first WBCA Academic Top 25 honor in 2021.
Leger-Walker dominated, earning Pac-12 All-Defensive team honorable mentions in both 2021 and 2022. During the 2022 season, Leger-Walker was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention. In Leger-Walker’s two seasons at WSU she led the program to 31 total wins including 19 wins and a program-best 11 conference wins in 2022. Her 109 assists in 2021 were good for number one in the Pac-12. The Coug’s made the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years for the first time in program history. Leger-Walker was a key contributor and leader on both squads.
Johnsen was a senior on the Men’s Cross Country and Track and Field at WSU. While in Pullman, Johnsen earned a 4.0 GPA and was an MBA candidate after he earned his undergraduate degree in marketing. In 2022, Johnsen was a Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll recipient for the winter session and was named 2021-22 Athlete of the Year by the WSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He also received a True Cougar award, which is given to two senior WSU athletes who started their athletic careers for the Cougs without a scholarship for athletics.
On the athletic side, Johnsen was a star in his three years for WSU. He was a six-time NCAA All-American, four as an indoor and two as an outdoor competitor. Johnsen also ranks in the top 10 in WSU history in five events. In the 5000 meters, Johnsen ranks second all-time for WSU with a time of 13 minutes and 39:54 seconds and second in steeplechase running a career-best 8 minutes and 31:64 seconds in 2022.
In 2009, the Pac-10 renamed the Conference medal to the Tom Hansen Conference Medal after Tom Hansen, who served 26 years serving as Commissioner of the Pac-10 before retiring in 2009.
