The Fan Spirit Award is named for Margie Santillan, who was an enthusiastic volunteer herself during the 1990’s.

Margie was a member of the Executive Board and did many of the fun little jobs in that capacity, such as putting up posters throughout Palo Alto and writing the newspaper sports editors. Her special passion was for the Travel Committee, which she chaired, and travel to away Stanford games. I am wearing this evening the “Break-away” T-shirt designed for the folks to wear when they traveled.

It is, then, most fitting that the winner of the award this season earned his stripes with travel to away games, both this season and for several before this.

As the nomination stated, “How wonderful he has been for all of us in providing the away game reports. They have been really special, personal and informative, often giving us a much richer picture of the games than the more official journalist accounts do. His love for the team and appreciation for the players as individual people just glows through what he writes, and he communicates that so well to all of us.”

Congratulations to Wallace Mersereau, this season’s winner of the Fan Spirit Award.

– Harriet Benson

This award (represented by a handsome plaque) is presented annually to a member of the Fast Break Club who has:

• enthusiastically supported the team and coaching staff during the basketball season
• participated in some volunteer aspect of the Fast Break Club
• promoted camaraderie among the boosters
• solicited new game attendees, season ticket holders, and Fast Break Club members, and
• attended one or more away games (not including Cal or any other Bay Area location).