WASHINGTON – The Gallaudet University Athletics Department hosted is annual awards ceremony, The GSPYs (Gallaudet Sports Performance Yearly), here May 1, in the Field House.
The red carpet was rolled out in the Field House 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 Alexis Correia and John Scarboro, who introduced the various presenters and awards during the evening.
The Bison Student-Athlete of the Year saw new honorees in Ella Gamble (Cullowhee, N.C.), who was named the Student-Athlete of the Year for women's sports after a successful year with the women's volleyball team. Football quarterback Brandon Washington (Citronelle, Ala.) 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 31 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 longtime football head coach Chuck Goldstein, who stepped down this spring to take a position in the Gallaudet admissions office.
Below is a list of all award winners.
2024-25 GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS AWARDS CEREMONY
BISON AWARD
Jared Spinale (Men's Cross Country)
Liberty Morales-Jean (Women's Cross Country)
Jacob Hartman (Football)
Citrine Lummer (Women's Volleyball)
Mamboh Smith (Men's Soccer)
Kathe Wilken-Yoder (Women's Triathlon)
Marilyn Puebla (Cheerleading)
Blessed Mbogo (Men's Basketball)
Raj Guettler (Women's Basketball)
Allen Davis (Men's Swimming)
Tiadra Vang (Women's Swimming)
Walter Douglas (Men's Indoor Track & Field)
Priscilla Berrios (Women's Indoor Track & Field)
Reza Mosher (STUNT)
Chelsea Sampson (Motion Z)
Seth Lopez (Men's Volleyball)
Hannah Puent (Softball)
Cotis Martinez (Men's Track & Field)
Olivia Armstrong (Women's Track & Field)
Tivon LeMaster (Esports)
Crystal Salit (Women's Flag Football)
Conrad Angelo Santos (Pickleball)
Donovan Holmes (Disc Golf)
BISONCENTER AWARD
Arabella Bielucke
BISON COMEBACK AWARD
Jake Mannick (Football)
Hannah Puent (Women's Basketball)
BISON CREW OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sofia Tuanquin
BISON SPIRIT AWARD
Marilyn Puebla
BISONSTRONG AWARD
Strong commitment to training in the off-season
Ella Gamble (Women's Volleyball)
Brielle Worley (Women's Volleyball)
BISON STUDENT WORKER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Kinsley Bond (Athletic Communications)
Enos Zornoza (Game Operations)
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 (22)
Andrew Bibbs (Track and Field)
Brandon Chung (Basketball)
Semaj Coleman (Football)
Walter Douglas (Track and Field)
Jacob Hartman (Football)
Billy Haynes (Football)
Devin Holmes (Football)
Dre'Vaughn Mackall (Football)
Cotis Martinez (Football, Track and Field)
Blessed Mbogo (Basketball)
Antonio Mendoza (Football)
Zarek Nathanson (Football)
Miguel Pavao (Football)
Preston Reeves (Football)
John Scarboro (Football)
Kylar Sicoli (Football)
KaVargio Smith (Track and Field)
Jared Spinale (Cross Country)
Malosi Viena (Basketball)
Zachary Wade (Football)
Brandon Washington (Football)
Tyler Williams (Football)
|
Women (9)
Alexis Correia (Softball)
Midajah Davis (Track and Field)
Raj Guettler (Basketball)
Jaelynn King (Swimming)
Anya Pothorski (Basketball, Softball, Volleyball)
Hannah Puent (Basketball)
Claire Ruiz-Tucker (Basketball)
Crystal Salit (Basketball)
Caitlyn Smith (Softball)
|
GRADUATE ASSISTANT / STUDENT COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
Ella Gamble (Men's Volleyball)
HONORARY "G" AWARD
Chuck Goldstein
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.
Emelia Beldon (Women's Basketball)
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)
Judie Lomax
OUTSTANDING FACULTY MEMBER AWARD
Ryan Barlongo
OUTSTANDING STAFF MEMBER AWARD
Erin Land Brown
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.
Mackenzie Schirg (Women's Basketball, Track and Field)
Alex Ortman (Men's Basketball)
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD
Top 10 Cumulative GPA - Seniors only - Listed In Order of GPA
Xin Lu Wall (Women's Cross Country)
Crystal Salit (Women's Basketball, Triathlon)
Kathe Wilken-Yoder (Women's Triathlon)
Blessed Mbogo (Men's Basketball)
Mara Land (Women's Swimming, Triathlon)
Alecia Miller (Cheerleading, Women's Triathlon, Track and Field)
Tiadra Vang (Women's Swimming)
Ashlene Etkie (Women's Volleyball)
Cotis Martinez (Football, Men's Track and Field)
John Scarboro (Football, Men's Volleyball)
SPIELBERGER AWARD
Top Team Manager and Student Assistant
Joshua Huff (Equipment/Game Operations)
STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Ella Gamble (Women's Volleyball)
Brandon Washington (Football)
UNSUNG HERO AWARD
Joe Bryan (Men's Soccer)
Sunita Schmidjorg (Women's Basketball)
2024-25 Gallaudet University Team Awards
| Men's Basketball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Blessed Mbogo |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Bruce Brewer Jr. |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Brandon Chung |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Basketball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Cam Lexow |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Mackenzie Schirg |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Raj Guettler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Cheerleading |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Alecia Miller |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Nikki Pajella |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Kate Scott |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Cross Country |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Sincere Vazquez |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Awais Mughal |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Francois Decaux |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Cross Country |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Lou Cherena |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Thu Nguyen |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Liberty Morales-Juan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Disc Golf |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Jaylen Johnson |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Nicholas Barron |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Donovan Holmes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Esports |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Lev Shayman |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Maverick Finkle |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Joe Cherichello |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Flag Football |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Raj Guettler |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Talia Boren |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Sannya Woodyard |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Football |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Zefan Nathanson |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Jacob Hundley |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Kylar Sicoli |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Motion Z |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Noelle Jones |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Kiristin Clark |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Neli Colon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Pickleball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Conrad Angelo Santos |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Zion Ortiz |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Brian Van Bavel |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Soccer |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Troy Holcomb |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Matteo Giansanti |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Joe Bryan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Softball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Lacey Drolsbaugh |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Kinsley Bond |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Karla Gomez-Zepeda |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| STUNT |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Kate Scott |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Luisa Skjeveland |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Nicholle Bradach |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Swimming |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Sean Berry |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Alex Wilding |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Allen Davis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Swimming |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Jaelynn King |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Tiadra Vang |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Thea Wrenn |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Triathlon |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Kathe Wilken-Yoder |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Talia Boren |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Ashley Corcoran |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Indoor Track and Field |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Walter Douglas |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Joe Bryan |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Navar Harris |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Indoor Track and Field |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Midajah Davis |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Olivia Armstrong |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Priscilla Berrios |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Outdoor Track and Field |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Walter Douglas |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Bobby Battle |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Cotis Martinez |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Outdoor Track and Field |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Midajah Davis |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Joy Watkins |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Mackenzie Schirg |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Men's Volleyball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Elian Zfati |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Nathan Sheppeck |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Zachary Bippus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Women's Volleyball |
|
|
|
Most Valuable Player |
|
|
|
Ella Gamble |
|
|
|
|
Most Improved |
|
|
|
Citrine Lummer |
|
|
|
|
Coaches' Award |
|
|
|
Jazelina Bumbala |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Also see:
