Named in honor of former WAC commissioner Joe Kearney, the awards are given annually to the top male and female student-athletes in the WAC. Kearney, who passed away earlier last month at the age of 83, was the commissioner of the WAC from 1980-94.
Moore played high school football in Prosser, Wash., just 15 miles from Sunnyside, Wash., where Kearney was a three-sport coach for three years (1954-57). As a sophomore last fall, Moore was the 2009 WAC Offensive Player of the Year after he led the Broncos to a perfect 14-0 record, including a victory in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
In two seasons, Moore has gone 26-1 as the starting quarterback. He was named a first team All-American by ESPN.com, SI.com and CBSSports.com last year and finished seventh in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. He set an NCAA single-season record for the lowest percentage of passes intercepted at 0.69 percent, throwing just three picks in 431 attempts. He completed 277-of-431 passes for 3,536 yards and 39 touchdowns, setting a school-record for touchdown passes in a season.
"Kellen is the type of student-athlete we strive to recruit to Boise State," said Boise State Director of Athletics Gene Bleymaier. "He does an excellent job in the classroom, is outstanding on the playing field and represents the University in a first class manner. I don't think we could ask for anything more from our student-athletes."
Kaufman, a senior from San Jose, Calif, was named an All-American in two sports this past year. She began the season by helping to lead the volleyball team to the Final Four in 2009 and was ranked fourth in the country in hitting percentage (.431).
In March, she was the runner-up in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship and then captured the national title in the event at the Outdoor Championship earlier this month. She has earned All-American honors in track and field five times during her career and also earned academic all-WAC honors all four years at Hawai‘i.
"Amber is an exceptional athlete who has world-class ability," said Senior Woman Administrator Marilyn Moniz-Kaho‘ohanohano. "She has also performed well in the classroom and continues to succeed on both the volleyball court and in track and field. Her enthusiasm and motivation allowed her teammates to feed off of her on the volleyball court and her determination and exceptional leaping ability made her a national champion in track and field."
-WAC-
2009-10 Joe Kearney Award Nominees
| Men, School, Sport | Women, School, Sport |
| Kellen Moore, Boise State, Football | Eleni Kafourou, Boise State, Track & Field |
| Ryan Mathews, Fresno State, Football | Jaleesa Ross, Fresno State, Basketball |
| John Estes, Hawai‘i, Football | Amber Kaufman, Hawai‘i, Volleyball/Track & Field |
| Mike Iupati, Idaho, Football | Allix Lee-Painter, Idaho, Cross Country/Track & Field |
| Albert Fullwood, Louisiana Tech, Track & Field | Antoinette Cobb, Louisiana Tech, Track & Field |
| Luke Babbitt, Nevada, Basketball | Tahnee Robinson, Nevada, Basketball |
| Tim Madigan, New Mexico State, Golf | Ingrid Flores, New Mexico State, Track & Field |
| Adrian Oliver, San Jose State, Basketball | Jessica Ingram, San Jose State, Soccer |
| Clinton Silcock, Utah State, Track & Field | Erin Stratton, Utah State, Track & Field |
Previous Joe Kearney Award Winners
| Year | Men, School, Sport | Women, School, Sport |
| 2008-09 | Tom Mendonca, Fresno State, Baseball | Melanie Gloria, Fresno State, Tennis |
| 2007-08 | Steve Susdorf, Fresno State, Baseball | Emma Friesen, Hawai‘i, Diving |
| 2006-07 | Colt Brennan, Hawai‘i, Football | Kanoe Kamana’o, Hawai‘i, Volleyball |
| 2005-06 | Nick Fazekas, Nevada, Basketball | Kanoe Kamana’o, Hawai‘i, Volleyball |
| 2004-05 | Gabriel Wallin, Boise State, Track & Field | Jamie Southern, Fresno State, Softball |
| 2003-04 | Kirk Snyder, Nevada, Basketball | Kim Willoughby, Hawai‘i, Volleyball |
| 2002-03 | Nick Watney, Fresno State, Golf | Kim Willoughby, Hawai‘i, Volleyball/Basketball |
| 2001-02 | David Carr, Fresno State, Football | Stacy Prammanasudh, Tulsa, Golf |
| 2000-01 | LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU, Football | Florence Ezeh, SMU, Track & Field |
| 1999-00 | Courtney Alexander, Fresno State, Basketball | Amanda Scott, Fresno State, Softball |
| 1998-99 | Andre Miller, Utah, Basketball | Martina Moravcova, SMU, Swimming |
| 1997-98 | Lars Frolander, SMU, Swimming | Amanda Scott, Fresno State, Softball |
| 1996-97 | Keith Van Horn, Utah, Basketball | Martina Moravcova, SMU, Swimming |
| 1995-96 | Keith Van Horn, Utah, Basketball | Nina Lindenberg, Fresno State, Softball |
| 1994-95 | Stoney Case, New Mexico, Football | Suzanne Metz, Utah, Gymnastics |
| 1993-94 | Marshall Faulk, San Diego State, Football | Amy Van Dyken, Colorado State, Swimming |
| 1992-93 | Marshall Faulk, San Diego State, Football | Mikki Kane-Barton, Utah, Basketball/Volleyball |
| 1991-92 | Carlton McDonald, Air Force, Football | Anu Kalijurand, Brigham Young, Track & Field |
