Austin College Celebrates Athletics Convocation

SHERMAN, Texas — The Austin College coaches and team members honored more than 50 student-athletes, including the Austin College male and female athletes of the year, in its annual Athletics Convocation on Thursday night at Jerry Apple Stadium on the Austin College campus.

By virtue of head coaches' selections, senior men's basketball player Michael Holland of Waxahachie and sophomore women's water polo player Sophie Oliver of Houston were selected as the Pete Cawthon Male Athlete and Gene Day Female Athlete of the Year, respectively.

Women's cross country and distance track runner Aimee Landers-Wilburn of Anna and football player Jarrett Pleasant of Magnolia were named the female and male Tim Jubela Award winners as the most outstanding freshmen student-athletes. Landers-Wilburn earned All-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference honors in both cross country and distance track this season, while Pleasant led the 'Roo football team in tackles in his first year within the program.

Holland earned first team All-SCAC honors after finishing in the top 10 in the conference in virtually every statistical category, finishing the year averaging 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.1 steals-per-game while shooting 45.3% from the field and leading the 'Roos to the SCAC Tournament Semifinal round. 

Oliver was named the Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III Player of the Year after leading Austin College to its first conference championship, leading the CWPA with 29 goals scored during the year and also pacing the 'Roos in both steals and assists. 

List of Award Winners:

Team Awards

• Baseball – Cecil Grigg Award (most outstanding baseball player) – Jake Thomas
• Baseball – Newcomer of the Year – Jake Trapani
• Men's Basketball – Hustle Award – Michael Holland
• Men's Basketball – Pat E. Hooks Award (most outstanding basketball player) – Michael Holland
• Women's Basketball – Brittany Simpson Award – Andrea Selkow
• Women's Basketball – Pat E. Hooks Award (most outstanding basketball player) – Reagan Chiaverini
• Men's Cross Country – Ron Munden Award (most outstanding runner) – Johnny Biffar
• Men's Cross Country – Most Improved – Andrew Cutting
• Men's Distance Track – Ron Munden Award (most outstanding runner) – Johnny Biffar
• Men's Distance Track – Most Improved – Burhan Biviji
• Women's Cross Country – Ron Munden Award (most outstanding runner) – Aimee Landers-Wilburn
• Women's Cross Country – Most Improved – Aimee Landers-Wilburn
• Women's Distance Track – Ron Munden Award (most outstanding runner) – Aimee Landers-Wilburn
• Women's Distance Track – Most Improved – Aimee Landers-Wilburn
• Football – William B. Traylor Award (for hard work and dedication) – Tyler James
• Football – Gene "Duke" Babb Award (most outstanding football player) – Aaron Rideaux
• Men's Soccer – Clayton Hustle Award – Colin Saum
• Men's Soccer – Most Outstanding Player – Colin Saum
• Women's Soccer – Carole Lomangino Award – Meredith Harris
• Women's Soccer – Hustle Award – Hailey Woodard
• Softball – Spirit Award – Elizabeth Preston
• Softball – Most Outstanding Player – Elizabeth Preston
• Men's Swimming – Hannah Award (most outstanding swimmer) – Sean Cookson
• Men's Swimming – Most Improved – Cody McCasland
• Women's Swimming – Hannah Award (most outstanding swimmer) – Chloe Hunt
• Women's Swimming – Most Improved – Willa White
• Men's Tennis – Carroll Pickett Award (most outstanding tennis player) – Brett O'Brien
• Men's Tennis – Most Improved – William Dixon
• Women's Tennis – Carroll Pickett Award (most outstanding tennis player) – Gigi Francis
• Women's Tennis – Most Improved – Elena Aventa
• Volleyball – Most Outstanding Player – Shelbi Cook
• Volleyball – Team Impact – Mari Prazak
• Men's Water Polo – Golden 'Roo – Taiton Fox
• Men's Water Polo – Cap 15 Award – Cade Griffith
• Women's Water Polo – Golden 'Roo – Kendall Katusak
• Women's Water Polo – Cap 15 Award – Brooke Le

Departmental Awards (selected by head coaches)

• Gene Day Award – Most outstanding female athlete – Sophie Oliver, water polo
• Pete Cawthon – Most outstanding male athlete – Michael Holland, basketball
• Tim Jubela – Most outstanding female freshman athlete – Aimee Landers-Wilburn, cross country/distance track
• Tim Jubela – Most outstanding male freshman athlete – Jarrett Pleasant, football
• Robert T. Mason – Sportsmanship Award – Will Koelzer, water polo
• Robert T. Mason – Sportsmanship Award – Andrea Selkow, basketball
• Slats McCord – Senior Perseverance and Improvement – Kolbie Banks, football
• Slats McCord – Senior Perseverance and Improvement – Hallie Dickerson, soccer
• Bo Miller – Outstanding Achievement in Academics and Athletics – Regan Wilkins, football
• Bo Miller - Outstanding Achievement in Academics and Athletics – Ally Longaker, basketball
• Sig Lawson – Dedication and Commitment to Austin College Athletics – Regan Wilkins, football; Jaylyn Cleamons, basketball; Xander Spurlock, soccer; Justin Alphonse, baseball; Ben Rafalski, swimming; Preston Spivey, tennis; Andrew Thomas, cross country/distance track; Dylan Laventure, water polo
• Sig Lawson – Dedication and Commitment to Austin College Athletics – Brooklyn Talley, volleyball; Karsen Lampkin, softball; Cindy Ramos, basketball; Mack Bolen, soccer; Sammi Thiele, swimming; Aimee Landers-Wilburn, cross country/distance track; Gigi Francis, tennis; Alyssa Albers, water polo
• Dr. Jack Pierce Academic Excellence Award – Highest Team GPA – Women's Swimming & Diving