Princeton University Athletics
Thompson, Venable Share Roper Trophy
May 31, 2005 | General
May 31, 2005
Fencer Soren Thompson and baseball/basketball player Will Venable are the 2005 recipients of the William Winston Roper Trophy.
The Roper Trophy was originally given by Mrs. William Winston Roper and the Class of 1902 in honor of Princeton's famed football coach. It goes annually to "a Princeton senior of high scholastic rank and outstanding qualities of sportsmanship and general proficiency in athletics."
Soren Thompson, an art and archeology major from San Diego, joined the men's fencing team and made an immediate impact to both the team and the sport. As a freshman, Thompson became the first Princeton fencer to become an NCAA individual champion (in the epee) since Harold Winkmann in 1994 and the fourth ever to wear a Princeton uniform. Thompson followed his rookie performance with a silver medal at the 2002 NCAA championships in the same weapon.
As a junior, Thompson went a perfect 11-0 in the Ivies and was named the IFA champion. After finishing 12th at the NCAA championships, he decided to train for the Olympics in Athens. During the 2004 Summer Games, he advanced to the quarterfinals in the men's epee individual event before losing 15-11 to defending Olympic gold medalist Pavel Kolobkov of Russia. Thompson's performance was the best in 50 years by a U.S. fencer in the epee.
This season, Thompson finished fifth in the epee at the NCAA championships and was second overall at the regionals. After compiling a 10-1 record in the Ivy League, he was named to the All-Ivy first team for the fourth time in his career. He was also a three-time All-America.
Will Venable was a first-team All-Ivy League selection and NCAA tournament participant in both basketball and baseball.
Venable is one of just eight players in Princeton men's basketball history to twice win the program's B.F. Bunn Trophy, honoring the team's Most Valuable Player. He won the award in 2004-05, when he earned second-team All-Ivy honors, averaged 11 points and four rebounds and led the Tigers in both assists and steals. A year earlier, he won the award after earning first-team All-Ivy honors and helping the Tigers to the NCAA tournament.
Venable finished his career with 1,010 points, 26th all-time at Princeton. His 155 steals are fourth in program history, and his 253 assists rank ninth all-time at Princeton. He was a team captain his senior season.
In baseball, Venable transitioned into the lineup as a sophomore after two full years away from the sport. He hit .239 that season in 27 games. A year later, Venable was the team's everyday designated hitter and saw time in the outfield en route to being named an honorable mention All-Ivy. He batted .344, had 20 RBIs and stole 14 bases. As a senior, Venable raised his average another 40 points to hit a team-leading .385 with 33 RBIs, nine home runs and 35 runs scored. He became the team's starting center fielder and earned first-team All-Ivy honors at the position. He was also a two-time first-team all-state pick during his Princeton career.
Venable is an anthropology major from San Rafael, Calif.