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 in Hughey Gymnasium on the Austin College campus.

By virtue of head coaches' selections, senior men's football player Brady Dygert and senior women's soccer player Kenedie Lane were named the Pete Cawthon Male Athlete of the Year and Gene Day Female Athlete of the Year, respectively.

Dygert, a linebacker for the 'Roos, earned his Pete Cawthon Award following a year in which he ranked third in the nation in tackles and was named the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year and first team All-Conference, in addition to earning All-Region accolades from D3Football.com. 

Lane, the starting goalkeeper for Austin College women's soccer, was named the Gene Day Award after being named second team All-SCAC following a year in which she ranked in the top five in the league in goals allowed, goals-against-average, save percentage, and total saves. She was also an Academic All-District selection.

Football player Barrett Hudson and women's swimmer Tatyana Arizmendi were named the Tim Jubela Male and Female Newcomers of the Year, respectively, after Hudson led the SCAC in rushing yards and was named the conference's Newcomer of the Year, while Arizmendi had an outstanding first year highlighted by a bronze medal finish in the 100 backstroke to garner All-SCAC recognition at the 2025 conference championships.

List of Award Winners:

Team Awards

• Baseball – Cecil Grigg Award (most outstanding baseball player) – Mason Woodhouse
• Baseball – Newcomer of the Year – Isaac Villa
• Men's Basketball – Hustle Award – Ocie Berry
• Men's Basketball – Pat E. Hooks Award (most outstanding basketball player) – Jackson Rennie
• Women's Basketball – Brittany Simpson Award – Avory Miller
• Women's Basketball – Pat E. Hooks Award (most outstanding basketball player) – Lexi Martin
• Football – William B. Traylor Award (for hard work and dedication) – Colton Gerken
• Football – Gene "Duke" Babb Award (most outstanding football player) – Brady Dygert
• Men's Soccer – Clayton Hustle Award – Justin Ajdukovich
• Men's Soccer – Most Outstanding Player – Pierce Wear
• Women's Soccer – Carole Lomangino Award – Kenedie Lane
• Women's Soccer – Hustle Award – Ranee LeVasseur
• Softball – Spirit Award – Hailie Swiatkowski
• Softball – Most Outstanding Player – Reagan Brinkley
• Men's Swimming – Hannah Award (most outstanding swimmer) – Alex Lai
• Men's Swimming – Most Improved – Theodore Rogers
• Women's Swimming – Hannah Award (most outstanding swimmer) – Tatyana Arizmendi
• Women's Swimming – Most Improved – Jordan Johnston
• Men's Tennis – Carroll Pickett Award (most outstanding tennis player) – Trey Salyer
• Men's Tennis – Most Improved – Cruz Rocha
• Women's Tennis – Carroll Pickett Award (most outstanding tennis player) – Olivia Sanchez
• Women's Tennis – Most Improved – Lauren Hofeldt
• Volleyball – Most Outstanding Player – TJ Folse
• Volleyball – Team Impact – Tatum Torres
• Men's Water Polo – Golden 'Roo – Sebastian Scheier
• Men's Water Polo – Cap 15 Award – Caleb Maddox
• Women's Water Polo – Golden 'Roo – Gracey Kettler
• Women's Water Polo – Cap 15 Award – Ashley Chand
• Cheerleading - Most Improved Cheerleader - Jenna Bunton
• Cheerleading - Most Outstanding Cheerleader - Caitlyn Potraza
• Athletic Training - Most Improved Student Athletic Trainer - Serena Sutherlun
• Athletic Training - Most Outstanding Student Athletic Trainer - Sher Moo Ku

Departmental Awards (selected by head coaches)

• Gene Day Award – Most outstanding female athlete – Kenedie Lane, soccer
• Pete Cawthon – Most outstanding male athlete – Brady Dygert, football
• Tim Jubela – Most outstanding female freshman athlete – Tatyana Arizmendi, swimming
• Tim Jubela – Most outstanding male freshman athlete – Barrett Hudson, football
• Robert T. Mason – Sportsmanship Award – Mattie Duncan, volleyball
• Robert T. Mason – Sportsmanship Award – Trey Salyer, tennis
• Slats McCord – Senior Perseverance and Improvement – Hailie Swiatkowski, softball
• Slats McCord – Senior Perseverance and Improvement – Jackson Rennie, basketball
• Bo Miller – Outstanding Achievement in Academics and Athletics – Kenedie Lane, soccer
• Bo Miller - Outstanding Achievement in Academics and Athletics – Asher Thompson, baseball
• Sig Lawson – Dedication and Commitment to Austin College Athletics – Brianne Tseng, volleyball; Bailey Standokes, tennis; Tessa Contreras, softball; Mikha Torres, water polo; Bryanna Cortes-Pinedo, soccer; Anna Duvall, basketball; Izzy Schultze, swimming; Jessica Hunt, cheer
• Sig Lawson – Dedication and Commitment to Austin College Athletics – Davin Vialpando, baseball; Jordan Hudgins, basketball; Kyle Nimon, soccer; Patrick Fenner, tennis; Charlie Howe, water polo; Nick Chevalier, football; Kamil Murugan, swimming
• T. Ellis Lockhart Spirit Award - Margie Norman
• Dr. Jack Pierce Academic Excellence Award – Highest Team GPA – Volleyball