The MSU Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) handed out awards for the 2016-17 school year in Murray State Athletics at the Curris Center May 8.
With baseball, softball and track & field yet to compete at their OVC Championships, MSU entered the evening having won four team championships over the past season (Rifle, Soccer, Volleyball and Women’s Golf). The Racers have also had 29 All-OVC selections this past school year.
Team awards were given in the areas of both academics and in community service. The evening was also special to a group of 12 student-athletes who completed “Four Years-Two Goals.” The motto recalls the goal for every MSU student-athlete as they strive to earn their degree and win an OVC Championship during their time as a Racer.
Team Academic Award
The MSU Team Academic Award was won this year by men’s cross-country with an outstanding team GPA of 3.70. As a whole, MSU student-athletes consistently performed with distinction in the classroom as their overall GPA for the 2015-16 academic year was 3.02.
Team Community Service Award
Women’s cross-country and track & field received this year’s Team Community Service Award. These are just a few of the services that teams participated in this year: all-sport Special Olympics Day, Needline, Unity Day at Murray High School, canned food drive that collected over 5,000 items, a kid’s clinic for junior golfers and the Human Society
Four Years/Two Goals
Men’s Basketball: Gee McGhee, Terron Gilmore
Soccer: Taylor Richerson, Ali Critcher
Volleyball: Kristen Besselsen, Scottie Ingram, Audrey Lewis, Ellie Lorenz, Hannah Stultz, Kamille Jones
Women’s Golf: Sydney Kelley
Women’s Track: Ali Hester
4.0 Recognition
Students who earned a 4.0 GPA during the fall semester
Softball: Leah Kesel, Cayla Levins, Mason Robinson, Jessica Twaddle, Amber Van Duyse, Mallory Young
Women’s Basketball: Kyra Gulledge, Katie Mackenzie
Volleyball: Dacia Brown, Scottie Ingram, Alex Kaufmann, Ellie Lorenz, Hannah Stultz
Baseball: Matthew Dudas, John Lollar, Trevor McMurray, Kipp Moore
Men’s Cross Country: Austin Ackman, Zachary Balleau, Gavin Davis, Gavin Galanes, Vincent Turner, Neil Yockey
Football: James Sappington, Zach Shipley, Mitch Stultz
Men’s Golf: Cole Manion
Rifle: Meike Drewell, Ivan Roe
Women’s Tennis: Sara Bjork, Mesa Trimm
Women’s Golf: Moa Folke, Linette Holmslykke
Women’s Soccer: Harriet Withers
Women’s Track & Cross Country: Destiny Carey, Kristen Higgins, Erica Holt, Chleo LeGrand, Rebekah Priddy
Class of 2017 Kentucky Theta Chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma
Chi Alpha Sigma is a non-profit organization established to recognize collegiate student-athletes who earn a varsity letter in at least one sport while maintaining a 3.4 or higher cumulative GPA throughout their junior or senior years. The governing board represents all levels of competition in the NCAA and NAIA.
Women’s Cross-Country and Track & Field: Emily Evans, Emily Flaherty, Kristen Higgins, Chleo LeGrand, Darcy Sullivan, Summer Wheeler
Women’s Golf: Moa Folke, Linette Holmslykke, Nadine Innes, Leah Judd
Women’s Tennis: Alina Schibol
Soccer: Mazie Fry, Aaron Lankster, Destiny White, Harriet Withers
Volleyball: Dacia Brown
Baseball: Adam Bauer, Aaron Bence, Jack Hranec
Football: Shuler Bentley, Mitch Stults
Men’s Cross-Country: Austin Ackman, Gavin Davis, Mark Ventura
Rifle: Ivan Roe
Men’s Golf: Daniel Taylor
Softball: Maddy Feeney, Leah Kesel, Amber Van Duyse
Graduating Seniors Recognition
Each senior was presented with a MSU Athletics graduation stole
May & August Graduates:
Men’s Basketball: Damarcus Croaker, Bryce Jones, Gee McGhee, Jonathan Stark
Women’s Basketball: Krystal James, Daniella Pisano
Baseball: Aaron Bence, Chad Gendron, John Lollar, Jack Hranec, Ramsey Scott, Brandon Gutzler, Reed Thompson, Adam Bauer
Football: Tobi Omli, Zuri Ellington, Mitch Stults, Zach Shipley, Jesse Blackburn
Women’s Golf: Sydney Kelley
Soccer: Ali Critcher
Softball: Maggie Glass, Taylor Odom
Women’s Tennis: Alina Schibol
Men’s Cross-Country: Evan Staviski, Neil Yockey
Volleyball: Kristen Besselsen, Audrey Lewis, Scottie Ingram, Hannah Stultz, Ellie Lorenz, Kamille Jones
Women’s Cross-Country, Track & Field: Darcy Sullivan, Taylor Adcock, Chleo LeGrand, Tia Weston, Caroline Grogan
December Graduates:
Baseball: Ryan Dills, Austin Dubsky, Caleb Arbeiter, Tyler Lawrence, Derrik Watson, Chance Carner, Tyler Anderson
Football: Lamont Crittendon, Marcus Meredith, Marico Paige, Ingram Tillard, D’Montre Wade, Zach Wade, Greg Willard, Landon Stratton
Men’s Cross-Country: Gavin Davis, Gavin Galanes
Men’s Golf: Matt Zakutney
Soccer: Lyssie Wright, Taylor Richerson
Softball: Jocelynn Rodgers, Mason Robinson, Mallory Young, Cayla Levins
Women’s Basketball: Ke’Shunan James
by Kevin DeVries