Brevard College Student-Athletes Celebrated at 2022-23 BESPYs
BREVARD, N.C. - The Department of Athletics hosted the 2022-23 "BESPYs", the college's annual athletic awards banquet on Thursday, April 20 at the Boshamer Gymnasium.
The BESPYs were presented by the Brevard College Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) with student broadcasters Scott Douglas and Brady Penn serving as event MC's.
Several major awards were presented to standout student-athletes over the course of the evening in front of an audience of over 400 members of the Brevard College community.
The Ann Etters Award is given annually to the underclassman student-athlete who best displays excellence athletically, academically, and through dedicated service to the BC community. The 2022-23 Ann Etters Award was presented to Emily Denaga, a sophomore women's lacrosse student-athlete.
The John McKissick Award, presented annually to the most outstanding football senior student-athlete both on and off the field, was awarded to senior running back Mitchell Yoder. The Chuck Dunbar Team Spirit Award was presented to men's soccer senior Scott Douglas
Additional award winners included USA Cycling individual omnium national champion Cole Punchard (Cyclist of the Year), women's basketball student-athlete Oliva Miller (Female Rookie of the Year) and baseball student-athlete Connor Crosby (Male Rookie of the Year). In addition, an award presentation to senior baseball student athlete Blake Burchett who won the NCAA Division III stolen bases crown in 2022.
The Brevard College Perfect Storm awards are given to the most outstanding overall Tornado student-athletes both in sport and in the classroom. Brooke Garland of women's tennis won the Female Perfect Storm Award, while football and baseball dual-sport athlete Joc Pledger was named the Male Perfect Storm Award winner.
The Female Athlete of the Year was presented to junior Makenna Parkins, a dual-sport student athlete from volleyball and women's basketball. Ryan Lynch, a junior men's soccer student-athlete, was named the Male Athlete of the Year.
The second annual David and Lynne Joyce Award was presented to Pledger of baseball and football. The award is presented to the graduating senior student-athlete who displays superior performance in competition, in the classroom and in the community over an entire four-year career at Brevard College.
The women's lacrosse team recaptured the Tornado Cup, given to the team that accumulates the most points in the Tornado Cup Challenge with the components of Academic Excellence, Athletic Excellence, Personal Development, Community Service and Athletes Supporting Athletes.
The BC women's soccer team earned the Highest Team GPA with the highest cumulative grade point average amongst BC's athletic teams.
Members of the USA South Conference champion men's soccer team were presented with their conference championship rings in a ceremony that included Brevard College President Bradley J Andrews, Director of Athletics Myranda Nash, Head Men's Soccer Coach Helio "L" D'Anna and Assistant Coach Mario Pinto.
The event included a special tribute dedicated to the late Dr. Stephen E. Knott, the beloved Faculty Athletics Representative at Brevard College, who tragically passed away last August.
As part of the program, BC graduating senior student-athletes received their senior gifts and graduates with a GPA of 3.0 or higher also received a scholar-athlete graduation stole to be worn at the upcoming Brevard College Commencement.
In addition to the major Brevard College awards, a plethora of conference and national awards were also handed out to the Tornado student-athletes.
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SAAC Executve Board
JaMarcus Walker, Men's Tennis – President
Brooke Garland, Women's Tennis – Vice President
Caelyn Murphy, Volleyball – Secretary
Cassidy Hutto, Women's Lacrosse – Community Engagement
Sly White, Men's Basketball – Marketing Coordinator
2022-23 Brevard College Athletics Awards
Tornado Cup – Women's Lacrosse
Highest Team GPA Award – Women's Soccer
Ann Etters Excellence Award – Emily Denaga, Women's Lacrosse
John McKissick Award – Mitchell Yoder, Football
Chuck Dunbar Team Spirit Award – Scott Douglas, Men's Soccer
Cyclist of the Year – Cole Punchard
Female Rookie of the Year – Olivia Miller, Women's Basketball
Male Rookie of the Year – Connor Crosby, Baseball
Female Perfect Storm Award – Brooke Garland, Women's Tennis
Male Perfect Storm Award – Joc Pledger, Baseball/Football
Female Athlete of the Year – Makenna Parkins, Volleyball/Women's Basketball
Male Athlete of the Year – Ryan Lynch, Men's Soccer
David and Lynne Joyce Legacy Award – Joc Pledger, Baseball/Football
Conference/National Awards (as of 5/4/23)
Women's Soccer:
Nicole Arroyo, USA South Rookie of the Week
Channing Barker, CSC Academic All-District
Grace Black, CSC Academic All-District
Maddy Edwards, CSC Academic All-District
Olivia Griswood, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Alyssa Heatherington, CSC Academic All-District
Mackenzie Lozano, USA South Defensive Player of the Week
Abbie Mayer, USA South Player of the Week and All-Conference Honorable Mention
Kiara Porcelli, USA South Rookie of the Week
Abbie Worsencroft, CSC Academic All-District
Autumn Wright, CSC Academic All-District
Men's Soccer:
Rocco Barbon, CSC Academic All-District, 1st Team All-Conference, USA South All-Tournament Team
Francesco Bonometti, CSC Academic All-District
Igor da Silva, CSC Academic All-District, 2ndTeam All-Conference, USA South All-Tournament Team and USA South Tournament Most Valuable Player
Luis dos Santos, Second-Team All-Conference
Tom Dussauge, USA South All-Tournament Team
Rodrigo Garcia, USA South All-Tournament Team
Ryan Lynch, 2-Time USA South Player of Week, 1st Team All-Conference and USA South All-Tournament Team
Daniel Morgan, USA South Rookie of the Week
Sam O'Callaghan, CSC Academic All-District, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team, 1st Team All-Conference
Matheus Rossi, 2-time USA South Defensive Player of the Week, USA South All-Tournament Team
Cross Country
Zoe Capps, All-Sportsmanship Team
Dalton Hawley, USA South Runner of the Week, All-Sportsmanship Team
Football
Luis Alvarez, CSC Academic All-District
Stamati Damalos, 4-Time USA South Conference Special Teams Player of Week, 1st Team All-Conference
Obidiah Grimes, USA South Defensive Rookie of the Week
Miles Hayes, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Cooper Hogan, CSC Academic All-District
Toby Naylor, USA South Defensive Player of the Week, 2nd Team All-Conference
Justin Parker, CSC Academic All-District, NFF Hampshire Honor Society
Reece Rubio, NFF Hampshire Honor Society
Ernest Smith II, USA South Defensive Player of the Week
Brandon Unangst, 2nd Team All-Conference
James Woods, USA South Special Teams Player of the Week
Mitchell Yoder, USA South Offensive Player of the Week
Volleyball
Bailey Lance, CSC Academic All-District
Caelyn Murphy, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Makenna Parkins, USA South All-Conference Honorable Mention
Kaitlyn Pressley, CSC Academic All-District
Grace Pukas, CSC Academic All-District
Men's Basketball
Jadon Carnes, 2-Time USA South Rookie of the Week
Quincy Carter, USA South Conference All-Sportsmanship Team
Garrett Sutherland, CSC Academic All-District
Kavan Horton, 2-Time USA South Rookie of the Week
Sly White, USA South Player of the Week
Women's Basketball
Olivia Miller, 3-Time USA South Conference Rookie of the Week, USA South Conference Rookie of the Year and USA South All-Conference Honorable Mention
Makenna Parkins, CSC Academic All-District, 2-time USA South Player of the Week and First Team All-Conference
Chyna Pouncey, CSC Academic All-District
Makayla Street, 3-Time USA Conference Rookie of the Week
Journey Tyler, CSC Academic All-District, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Calli Wells, CSC Academic All-District
Women's Lacrosse
Emily Denaga, USA South Player of the Week
Xan Hill, USA South Rookie of the Week
Autumn Kramer, IWLCA D3 National Co-Offensive Player of the Week, USA South Player of Week
Paige Kneubuhler, 2-Time USA South Rookie of the Week
Lex MacLauchlin, USA South Defensive Player of the Week
Parker Moore, IWLCA D3 National Co-Offensive Player of the Week, 2-Time USA South Player of Week
Nicole Volk, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Men's Lacrosse
Drew Pond, USA South Rookie of the Week
Ben Wilhelm, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Baseball
Blake Burchett, Second Team All-Conference, USA South Player of the Week
Connor Crosby, 3-time USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Lucas Granata, D3Baseball.com Team of the Week
Hayden Jennings, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Frankie Vasquez, First Team All-Conference, USA South Player of the Week
Softball
Karley Queen, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Men's Tennis
Noah Lewis and Ethan McGee, USA South Conference Doubles Team of the Week
JaMarcus Walker, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Women's Tennis
Brooke Garland, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Hannah Hersh, 1st Team All-Conference, 2-Time USA South Conference Player of the Week
Hannah Hersh and Alli Kogoy, 2-Time USA South Conference Doubles Team of the Week
Men's Track & Field
Luis Alvarez, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team, 3rd Team All-Conference (4x100 relay)
Brooks Ashford Jr., 3rd Team All-Conference (4x100 relay)
Devon Brodmyer, 2nd Team All-Conference (800 meters), 3rd Team All-Conference (5,000 meters)
Gabriel Covington, 2nd Team All-Conference (Shot Put)
DeShawn Curtis, 3rd Team All-Conference (4x100 relay)
Dalton Hawley, 3rd Team All-Conference (1,500 meters)
Garrett Spangler, 3rd Team All-Conference (10,000 meters), 3rd Team All-Conference (3,000 meter Steeplechase)
Reginald Taylor II, 3rd Team All-Conference (100 meters), 3rd Team All-Conference (4x100 relay)
Jaxsen Wilkerson, 2nd Team All-Conference (110 hurdles), 3rd Team All-Conference (High Jump), 3rd Team All-Conference (Triple Jump), 3rd Team All-Conference (Long Jump)
Women's Track & Field
Channing Barker, 2nd Team All-Conference (800 meters)
Haylea Layne-Miller, 3rd Team All-Conference (100 hurdles), 3rd Team All-Conference (400 hurdles)
Isabell Musser, 2nd Team All-Conference (Discus)
Grace Pukas, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Makayla Street, 2nd Team All-Conference (High Jump), 3rd Team All-Conference (200 meters)
-BC-