WASHINGTON – The Gallaudet University Athletics Department hosted is annual awards ceremony, The GSPYs (Gallaudet Sports Performance Yearly), here Tuesday, April 30, in the Field House.
The red carpet was rolled out in the Field House lobby as teams gathered to get their photos taken in front of the assembled photographers and social media members. Everyone enjoyed a catered dinner while a photo presentation was shared featuring all athletic teams and their team award recipients were highlighted and beats were dropped by DJ Kazeem Babtunde.
Gallaudet Athletic Director Warren Keller got things started with a warm welcome and introduced two student-athlete emcees in Reza Mosher and Enow Otto Jr., who introduced the various presenters and awards during the evening.
The Bison Student-Athlete of the Year saw repeat honorees in Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.), who was named the Student-Athlete of the Year for women's sports after a successful year with the women's volleyball team, women's basketball program and softball teams. Men's track and field All-American Eric Gregory (Metairie, La.) took home Student-Athlete of the Year honors for men's sports.
In total, over 100 student-athletes were honored with team and department awards, including 20 seniors who earned the Four-Year Athlete Award after participating all four years in GU athletics.
Keller concluded the ceremony with the Bison Award winners and the Honorary "G" Award. The Bison Award is based on five guiding principles; respect, positivity, teamwork, discipline and character. The award is unique in that every team member gets to vote on the winner for their respective sport. The winner is featured in the Bison Award Hall of Honor in the Field House with a framed 23x23 print.
The Honorary "G" Award is a high honor given to someone who has made major contributions to the athletics department. This year's recipient is retiring Physical Education and Recreation Professor and legendary GU softball coach and Athletics Hall of Famer Sarah Burton Doleac.
Below is a list of all award winners.
2023-24 GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS AWARDS CEREMONY
AL VAN NEVEL MEMORIAL AWARD
A senior athlete who holds a GPA of 3.5 or better, demonstrates positive leadership on and off the court/field and consistently exhibits good sportsmanship on and off the court/field
Leila Sicoli (Women's Volleyball)
ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT APPRECIATION
Stephanie Bettencourt (Women's Soccer)
BISON AWARD
Trent Mora (Men's Cross Country)
Olivia Anderson (Women's Cross Country)
John Scarboro (Football)
Leila Sicoli (Women's Volleyball)
Troy Holcomb (Men's Soccer)
Courtney Gentzke (Women's Soccer)
Isabelle Taveras (Fall Cheerleading)
Alex Antsiferov (Men's Basketball)
Cam Lexow (Women's Basketball)
Danielle Couto (Winter Cheerleading)
Skyler Officer (Swimming)
Molly Headrick (Women's Swimming)
Walter Douglas (Men's Indoor Track & Field)
Hannah Wetzel (Women's Indoor Track & Field)
Salvador Diaz (Baseball)
Lacey Drolsbaugh (Softball)
Eric Gregory (Men's Track & Field)
Oceana Brown (Women's Track & Field)
Xavius Turner (Esports)
BISONCENTER AWARD
Shawn Daniels (Team Leader)
Foluso Adeluola
Arabella Bielucke
Kacey Monahan
Clarissa Wojnar
BISON COMEBACK AWARD
Crystal Salit (Women's Basketball)
BISON CREW OF THE YEAR AWARD
Zoe Abrams-Gay
BISON SPIRIT AWARD
Santiago Paiva
BISONSTRONG AWARD
Strong commitment to training in the off-season
Antonio Mendoza (Football)
Ryane Smalley (Women's Soccer)
BISON STUDENT WORKER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Jose Bandilla (Athletic Communications)
FOUR-YEAR ATHLETE AWARD
A student-athlete, team managers, cheerleader who has participated all four years at Gallaudet, sport listed is sport played in 2023-24 season
Men
Agustin Bojorquez (Football)
Josh Buentiempo (Football)
Connor Egan (Football)
Jared Hilaire (Football)
Rory Lewis (Basketball)
Cas Mastropaolo (Football)
Wendell Ratliff (Football)
Gabriel Romanauskas (Football)
Kyle Santello (Soccer)
Jonathon Waterman (Football, Soccer)
|
Women
Adele Danies (Volleyball)
Courtney Gentzke (Soccer)
Karla Gomez-Zepeda (Softball)
Cassidy LeBaron (Cross Country, Track and Field)
Cassidy Perry (Basketball)
Marlena Rauber (Cheerleading)
Alexys Santiago (Cross Country, Track and Field)
Ryane Smalley (Soccer)
Isabelle Taveras (Cheerleading)
Hannah Wetzel (Track and Field)
|
GRADUATE ASSISTANT / STUDENT COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
Pia Garreffa (Athletic Communications)
HONORARY "G" AWARD
Sarah Burton Doleac
JOHN PERRY AWARD
Awarded to a Gallaudet assistant coach that shows Gallaudet Pride, Gallaudet Spirit and commitment. The award is named in honor of the late John Perry, a longtime men's basketball assistant coach.
Todd Collins (Football)
MICHAEL WEINSTOCK FAN OF THE YEAR
Gallaudet faculty, staff member(s), or friends of the program that show great Bison spirit, attend athletic events. The award is named in honor of former Gallaudet Athletic Director Michael Weinstock (2007-18)
Deanna Moynihan Scott
ONLINE FAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
Paula Shirk Yanke - @PeyHike
OUTSTANDING FACULTY MEMBER AWARD
Reginald Bess
OUTSTANDING STAFF MEMBER AWARD
Mary Perrodin-Singh
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
First-year athlete that exceeds coaches' expectations. Bold/Italic highlighted names received the Bison Rookie of the Year for top performance given to the top male and female rookie from all teams.
Oceana Brown (Women's Track and Field)
Marcus Gabriel (Football)
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD
Top 10 Cumulative GPA - Seniors only - Listed In Order of GPA
Cassidy Perry (Women's Basketball, Softball, Volleyball)
Dekisha Smith (Women's Soccer)
Olivia Anderson (Women's Cross Country, Track and Field)
Taylor Nguyen (Women's Cross Country, Track and Field)
Marlena Rauber (Women's Soccer, Cheerleading)
Cristian Martinez-White (Men's Soccer, Track and Field)
Lilian Nelson (Women's Soccer, Track and Field)
Hannah Wetzel (Women's Track and Field)
Rory Lewis (Men's Basketball)
Alexys Santiago (Women's Cross Country, Track and Field)
SPIELBERGER AWARD
Top Team Manager and Student Assistant
Cristian Martinez-White (Equipment/Game Operations)
STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Cassidy Perry (Women's Basketball, Softball, Volleyball)
Eric Gregory (Men's Track and Field)
UNSUNG HERO AWARD
Cam Lexow (Women's Basketball)
Liam Painter (Men's Track and Field)
Anya Pothorski (Women's Volleyball)
2023-24 Gallaudet University Team Awards
| Men's Basketball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Blessed Mbogo |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Samer Sawan |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Brandon Chung |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Basketball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Cassidy Perry |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Rajena Guettler |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Cam Lexow |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Fall Cheerleading |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Marquize Nash |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Kate Scott |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Isabelle Taveras |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Winter Cheerleading |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Alecia Miller |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Renae Thigpen |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Marlena Rauber |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Cross Country |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Roberto Torres |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Vershon Carter |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Kyle D'Amore |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Cross Country |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Cassidy LeBaron |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Alexys Santiago |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Taylor Nguyen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Football |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Zefan Nathanson |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Agustin Bojorquez |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Tyler Conner |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Esports |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Rayston Fonseca |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Tivon LeMaster |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Joe Cherichello, Tilde Edington |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Soccer |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Samson Abraham |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Vershon Carter |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Matteo Giansanti |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Soccer |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Ryane Smalley |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Katrina Ifurung |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Reza Mosher |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Softball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Lacey Drolsbaugh, Christina Elsbury |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Carly Ortega |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Olivia Taufu'i |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Swimming |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Abdullah Alghamdi |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Trent Mora |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
William Nichols |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Swimming |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Molly Headrick |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Samantha Michaelson |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Tiadra Vang |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Indoor Track and Field |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Eric Gregory |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Andrew Suarez |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Liam Painter |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Indoor Track and Field |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Hannah Wetzel |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Melany Salcedo Benavides |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Lilian Nelson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Outdoor Track and Field |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Eric Gregory |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Andrae' Green |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Lance Wood |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Outdoor Track and Field |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Hannah Wetzel |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Priscilla Berrios |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Olivia Armstrong |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Volleyball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Ella Gamble |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Gisella Visco |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Anya Pothorski, Leila Sicoli |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Also see:
