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DEAR FRIENDS As our team knows all too well, sports inspire a community. The excitement and love of the game give people a sense of hope and belonging. It unites us during troubling times and gives us a reason to strive for something greater than the sum of us alone. The mission of Greater Cleveland Sports Commission has always been to have a positive impact on the Cleveland community. For over 20 years, Greater Cleveland Sports Awards has celebrated the accomplishments of our local athletes and teams who have achieved success both on and off the field. It’s showcased the outstanding impact Greater Cleveland Sports Commission has had on our community, through the lens of sports. As our nonprofit organization’s premier fundraiser, this celebration provides the necessary support to continue to compete and win on behalf of Cleveland. Tonight will feature our traditional celebration of athletic achievements and display the positives surrounding sports by highlighting humanity, courage and a renewed community focus. Even though we may be physically apart, together, we will relive the incredible moments throughout the year. Although times may be tough, we have hope on the horizon, our horizon, of Lake Erie. Your commitment to Greater Cleveland Sports Commission helps us positively IMPACT our community and INSPIRE change.
Doug Neary
David Gilbert
Chairman President & CEO
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thank you for your support!
ABOUT
GREATER CLEVELAND SPORTS COMMISSION Since 2000, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is responsible for attracting over 200 sporting events which provide more than $843 million in economic activity to Northeast Ohio. Greater Cleveland Sports Commission (GCSC) serves to measurably improve the economy of Greater Cleveland and enrich the community by attracting, creating, managing and enhancing significant sporting and competitive events. GCSC supports the local economy, utilizes sports as a vehicle to forward community agendas and maintains a goal of producing events that are more successful when held in Cleveland than in other cities. Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. CLEVELANDSPORTS.ORG
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT GCSC.......................................................... 3 BOARD OF TRUSTEES............................................. 8 ASSOCIATE BOARD................................................. 8 DINNER COMMITTEE.............................................. 9 PACKAGE PURCHASERS....................................... 11 THANK YOU........................................................... 14 AWARD VOTING PROCESS..................................... 20
HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR..............22-23 COLLEGIATE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR.................24-25 PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR................ 29 COURAGE AWARD................................................. 33 HUMANITARIAN AWARD........................................ 34 THANK YOU PARTNERS......................................... 40
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We serve to measurably improve the economy of Greater Cleveland and enrich the community by attracting, creating, managing and enhancing significant sporting and competitive events.
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS OF MAR. 2, 2021 DOUG NEARY, CHAIR, Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP CARL GRASSI, VICE CHAIR, McDonald Hopkins* KRISTEN BAIRD-ADAMS, PNC GEOFF ALLMAN, Lincoln Electric KEN BABBY, Akron RubberDucks NIC BARLAGE, Cleveland Cavaliers BRIAN BARREN, Cleveland Indians ERIC BECK, University Hospitals DOUGLAS BELL, Global Prairie DOMINIC BRAULT, Kaulig Capital SHONTEL BROWN, Cuyahoga County DAVID BROWNING, CBRE, Inc. TIM CONNOR, The Shamrock Companies, Inc. MICHAEL CONWAY, Beverage Distributors, Inc. WILLIAM COSGROVE, Union Home Mortgage MICHAEL COX, City of Cleveland TERRY COYNE, Newmark Knight Frank MATTHEW CRAWFORD, Park Ohio Industries BILL DESANTIS, The Sherwin-Williams Company GIOVANNI DI CENSO, Deloitte FRED DISANTO, Ancora TRINA EVANS, KeyBank RICHARD FEDOROVICH, Bober Markey Fedorovich TERRY FERGUS, FSM Capital Management THOMAS FREEMAN, Grant Thornton JEFF FRIEDMAN, JIF Investment
CINDY FLYNN, TREASURER, Union Home Mortgage EDDIE TAYLOR JR., SECRETARY, Taylor Oswald
NOLAN GALLAGHER, Gravitas Ventures FRANK GALLUCCI, Plevin & Gallucci SCOTT GARRETT, Cleveland State University MICHAEL GIBBONS, Brown Gibbons Lang & Company JERRY GRISKO, JR., CBIZ CHARLES HARDIN, Jones Day EDDIE HARRELL, JR., Radio One Cleveland TIM HARRIS, Insurance Board AMY HELD, The J.M. Smucker Co. DAVE JENKINS, Cleveland Browns KEN JOHNSON, City of Cleveland ANSIR JUNAID, Supply Side Group CHRIS KEIM, Frantz Ward BRIAN KELLY, PwC ROBERT KLONK, Oswald Companies JOE KOHMANN, Westfield TOM LAIRD, Gilbane Building Company DARYL LAISURE, ZIN Technologies STEFFANY LARKINS, Medical Mutual BOB LITTMAN, BDO LLP DAVID LUCARELLI, Swagelok JAMIE LYNCH, TCF Bank JOHN MACINTOSH, KPMG LLP ROB MACKINLAY, Gardiner VALARIE MCCALL, City of Cleveland RJ NEMER, MAI Capital
CHARLES OBERT, Brookfield Properties MICHAEL O’HARA, Parker Hannifin BOYD PETHEL, First National Bank SAM PINES, ESPN Cleveland/Good Karma Brands NANCY POKORNY, Findley SANDEE REID, The Davey Tree Expert Company MONTE REPASKY, EY SEAN RICHARDSON, Huntington PETER ROME, Tucker Ellis DR. MARK SCHICKENDANTZ, Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine BRADLEY SELLERS, City of Warrensville Heights KEN SEMELSBERGER, Eaton Corporation GREG SKODA, Marcum LLP JOHN SKORY, FirstEnergy BRIAN SLIFE, Aon KEVIN STEIN, Transdigm MARK STEINBERG, Excel Sports Management DR. JON STEINBRECHER, Mid-American Conference RANDY STEPHENS, FOX Sports Ohio BILL STERN, Stern Advertising BOB VECCHIONE, NACDA PAUL VOINOVICH, Vocon CHAS WITHERS, Dix & Eaton ALAN ZANG, US Bank
LIFETIME TRUSTEES ROBERT KAIN
JARED CHANEY
MICHAEL J. CLEARY – in memoriam
ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBERS 2021 ANGELA ALMASY, Dix & Eaton JOHN BANKS, The Shamrock Companies ELIZABETH BEARD, Topgolf ERICA CAMERON, Cerity Partners RAPHAEL COLLINS, Cleveland Indians JOHN COUGHLIN, Gilbane Building Company COURTNEY FALLON, Cleveland Indians COURNEY FOSTER, Clearsulting DORIYON GLASS, Jackson Lewis, PC ROBERT GUY, WLS Stamping & Fabricating Company JENNIFER HART, Connective Counsel JAMES HOFBAUER, University Hospitals JAELEN HOLLINGER, Cleveland Foundation
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BROOKE HRADISKY, Kaulig Capital LACRETTA INCORVAIA, Reliable Solutions Group TYLER JONES, Cleveland State University JOHN KANE, Ancora JENNIFER KELLY, Cleveland State University BILLY LAWLESS, The Brewer-Garrett Company ARIEL MCNAIR, EY MATT MOOS, Lake Erie Crushers MARTY MORDARSKI, Tech Elevator BETH ORR, Dover Home Remodelers, Inc. GREG PASIADIS, Marcum LLP BRIAN POE, IMG JASON ROTHMAN, Ogletree
DR. MARIE SCHAEFER, Cleveland Clinic MATT SCHAEFER, Golden Reserve LLC CASEY SCHRADER, Oswald Companies BRADY SHEETS, NFP CHRISSY SIBA, MGM Northfield Park MICHAEL SKOLARIS, W.F. Hann & Sons TIM SMITH, Citizens Bank JEFF TOLMAN, Cleveland Metroparks CONSTANTINE TSATIRIS, Grant Thornton LLP PETER VAN EUWEN, BakerHostetler LLP RYAN VIRTUE, Positive Coaching Alliance MIKE VURAICH, BDO USA LLP TOM WELSH, Calfee JONATHON WHITTLESEY, Squire Patton Boggs
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SPORTS AWARDS HONORARY CO-CHAIRS DEE & JIMMY HASLAM, Owners, Cleveland Browns
DAN GILBERT, Owner, Cleveland Cavaliers & Cleveland Monsters
PAUL DOLAN, Owner/Chairman & CEO, Cleveland Indians
SPORTS AWARDS EVENT CO-CHAIRS GREG SKODA Marcum LLP
FRANK GALLUCCI Plevin & Gallucci
DINNER COMMITTEE GEORGE ALLEN, iHeartMedia NIC BARLAGE, Cleveland Cavaliers DOMINIC BRAULT, Kaulig Companies DAVID BROWNING, CBRE, Inc. MICHAEL CONWAY, Beverage Distributors, Inc. CURTIS DANBURG, Cleveland Indians JERRY DOYLE RICK FEDOROVICH, Bober Markey Fedorovich CINDY FLYNN, Union Home Mortgage THOMAS FREEMAN, Grant Thorton
NOLAN GALLAGER, Gravitas Ventures JERRY GRISKO JR., CBIZ CHRIS KEIM, Frantz Ward BRIAN KELLY, PWC JOE KOHMANN, Westfield KELTON CRENSHAW, Klutch Sports Group JAMIE LYNCH, TCF Bank RJ NEMER, MAI Capital SEAN RICHARDSON, Huntington JIM ROLLINS, Meaden & Moore
DR. MARK SCHICKENDANTZ, Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine KEN SEMELSBERGER, Eaton Corporation BRIAN SLIFE, Aon RANDY STEPHENS, FOX Sports Ohio JOSH STUDZINSKI, University Hospitals JENNER TEKANCIC, Cleveland Browns PETER VAN EUWEN, Baker Hostetler PAUL VOINOVICH, Vocon
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DO GOOD WIN BIG CONTRIBUTE TO A LOCAL NONPROFIT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN.
HOW DOES THE 50/50 RAFFLE WORK?
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Buy a ticket
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Check if you’ve won
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Claim your prize
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Support a local nonprofit
Our 50/50 Raffle will benefit a local nonprofit responsible for bringing major sporting events to Cleveland. Winner receives 50% of net proceeds; 50% benefits Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. Winner pulled on March 8, 2021.
CLEVELANDSPORTS.ORG/5050
THANK YOU
TO OUR PACKAGE PURCHASERS AS OF FEB. 18 2021 IMPACT PARTNERS Ancora Brown Gibbons Lang & Company Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP Cleveland Browns Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Deloitte Destination Cleveland Eaton Corporation
Fifth Third Bank FirstEnergy Frantz Ward FSM Capital JIF Investment Kaulig Giving Kohrman Jackson & Krantz Marcum LLP McDonald Hopkins LLC Medical Mutual NPi Audio Visual Solutions
Oswald Companies Supply Side USA Taylor Oswald LLC TCF Bank TransDigm Union Home Mortgage University Hospitals Sports Medicine US Bank
Gardiner Gilbane Building Company Global Prairie Gravitas Ventures Huntington iHeartMedia Insurance Board JACK Entertainment Jones Day KeyBank KPMG LLP Lincoln Electric Company MAI Capital MCPc Meaden & Moore Medical Mutual Meritech Newmark Knight Frank Parker Hannifin Corporation
Plante Moran Plevin & Gallucci PNC PwC RPM International Stern Advertising Swagelok The Davey Tree Expert Company The J.M. Smucker Co. The Shamrock Companies, Inc. The Sherwin-Williams Company Tucker Ellis Vocon Westfield Zin Technologies
Gymnastics World Hylant Group Robert Kenderes Maloney + Novotny Mid-American Conference Amy Morgenstern Offside Marketing Physicians Ambulance
Radio One Cleveland Lisa Reau Repros Danzinger & Gill Sleggs SPIRE Institute TeamWork Online
INSPIRE PARTNERS Ancora Aon Baird - BCJC Group BakerHostetler BDO USA Beverage Distributors, Inc. Bober Markey Fedorovich Brookfield Properties CBIZ CBRE, Inc. Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Cleveland Indians Dix & Eaton ESPN Cleveland EY Findley First National Bank SportsTime Ohio
COMMUNITY TICKETS AAble Rents Aerial Agents Cleveland State University College Now Greater Cleveland Alan Gilbert Nancy Gilbert Grant Thornton
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Shine On! We’re proud to support the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards and we congratulate all of this year’s honorees.
THANK YOU Greater Cleveland Sports Awards Committee and staff wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors and all the companies who have donated their resources and expertise as well as our valued volunteers who have donated their time and energy to make the 21st Greater Cleveland Sports Awards a huge success!
PRESENTING PARTNERS Medical Mutual
Ancora
EVENT PARTNERS Aable Rents Aerial Agents Beverage Distributors Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Company Car & Limousine First National Bank H. Jack’s Plumbing & Heating Co. “The Super Plumber!”
The Illuminating Company JACK Entertainment Meritech Miller Lite NPi Audio Visual Solutions Physicians Ambulance PS Awards Rapid 2-Way
Repros The Shamrock Companies SportsTime Ohio Tito’s Handmade Vodka Union Home Mortgage University Hospitals Sports Medicine WKYC
Mike Papa Eddie Petrick Clay Sullivan Danielle Sigl Phil Soehnlen Thomas Stumpf
Drew Stutzman Jacob Thompson Joe Thompson Joshua Thompson Daniel Ward Jacob Williams
NPI AUDIO VISUAL SOLUTIONS Mike Carlton Adam Ditzel Evan Guffin Gary Heinrich Jr. DeSean Joseph Alex Kay
WKYC Micki Byrnes
Denise Polverine-Manoloff
FOX SPORTS OHIO/SPORTSTIME OHIO Pat Kilkenney Mike Roche
Alex Slemc Randy Stephens
CLEVELAND INDIANS Curtis Danburg
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Dan Mendlik
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CLEVELAND CAVALIERS Nate Klein
Carrie Samek
Emily Thomas
Jennifer Leister Matt Starkey
Paul Taylor Jenner Tekancic
Jim Donovan Angel Gray
Andre Knott Gab Kreuz
Jeff McDaniel Dave McElhatten Jessica Powell Mike Ramirez
Stephen Rodak John “Z” Zaccardelli
Juan Goodwin Steven Guy Jenna Homrock Tony Hanf Stephen Kelley Eleni Kittaki Gina LoPresti Melissa Mason Holly Mueller Paul Mueller Nyx the Boxer
David Painter Megan DeWolf Piunno Tony Piunno Dava Range David Range Devon Range Lexi Range Brad Tunstall Heather Tunstall
Jenna Homrock Melissa Mason
Tunstall Content LLC.
CLEVELAND BROWNS Dino Bernacchi Troy Brown
TALENT Jay Crawford Ahmaad Crump
VIDEO PRODUCERS Kadeem Huggins Nate Klein Kaylee Koller Jimmy Longo
CONTRIBUTORS Keith Allen Teresa Alto Azula the Shar-Pitty Aleksandra Breault Alyssa Brosious Sarah Brosious Eric George Maurice Gibson Denise Gill Rachel Gill Esha Goodwin
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT Teresa Alto Aleksandra Breault
GREATER CLEVELAND SPORTS COMMISSION David Gilbert Mark Lembke Mike Mulhall Rachael Stentz-Baugher Nick Volsko Meredith Painter Monica Gustin
Matt Sajna Becky Griesmer Rachel Gill Matt Jones Rachel Denz Brittany Penn Janet Kuiper
Tiffany Skowronski Suzie Wray Molly Gamber Josh Smith Alex Gibbons Dom Mittiga Sean Kelley
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OHIO ENJOYED IN CLEVELAND
We keep athletes in the game. Trust Northeast Ohio’s most experienced sports medicine team and get a game plan for your best health.
Visit ClevelandClinic.org/SportsMedicine
Congratulations, Camryn Colahan. 2020 Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Courage Award Recipient
Morgan DiFucci Photography LLC
Camryn Colahan Senior, Vermilion High School
Visit ClevelandClinic.org/Access
AWARD VOTING PROCESS Local sports and media outlets were invited to nominate athletes and select finalists from Northeast Ohio from the following nine counties: Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Stark and Summit. Finalists were selected in each of the following Greater Cleveland Sports Awards Categories: • Male High School Athlete of the Year presented by University Hospitals Sports Medicine • Female High School Athlete of the Year presented by University Hospitals Sports Medicine • Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year presented by H. Jack’s Plumbing & Heating Co. “The Super Plumber!” • Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year presented by H. Jack’s Plumbing & Heating Co. “The Super Plumber!” • Professional Athlete of the Year presented by SportsTime Ohio A special awards committee was formed to select recipients for the following awards: • Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Courage Award • Humanitarian of the Year presented by Union Home Mortgage
The following is a sample of local media outlets asked to participate in the nomination process: Akron Beacon Journal Associated Press Cleveland.com Cleveland Magazine Crain’s Cleveland Business The News Herald The Plain Dealer
ESPN Cleveland 950 WCPN 90.3 WKRK 92.3 WTAM 1100
SportsTime Ohio WEWS WJW WKYC WOIO
Best Moment presented by JACK Entertainment was nominated by the general public who voted for Best Moment in Cleveland Sports during 2020. The winning moment was based on the number of submissions.
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thank you for your support!
YOUR SPORTS MEDICINE EXPERTS – FOR ATHLETES FROM PEE-WEE TO PRO To make an appointment close to home, call 216-983-PLAY or visit UHSports.org.
O U R O F F I C I A L H E A LT H C A R E PA RT N E R S © 2021 University Hospitals SPRT 1443439
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MALE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
PRESENTED BY UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SPORTS MEDICINE Male High School Athlete of the Year Award is presented to one male high school athlete who has most distinguished himself through athletic excellence during the past year or athletic season and is in good academic standing. TYLER HONG Saint Ignatius, Swimming Tyler Hong is a three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association All-American swimmer. Hong became a Division I State Champion in the 200 M Individual Medley in 2020. USA Swimming named him as one of the Top 100 swimmers in the world under 18 in the 200 IM. He has announced his verbal commitment to the application process at Princeton University and will suit up for the Tigers in the fall of 2021.
JOE LABAS Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School, Football Joe Labas was named Suburban League National Offensive Player of the Year following an outstanding 2020 season where he passed for 2,349 yards with 16 touchdowns while completing 68% of his passes. Additionally, he was named First-Team AllLakes and All-District and was a finalist for the FOX 8 Friday Night Touchdown 2020 Player of the Year. He has committed to play football for University of Iowa.
KENTRELL MARKS Valley Forge High School, Football Kentrell Marks, a First-Team All-Ohio Running Back,finished his Junior season rushing for 1,481 yards on 140 carries, averaging over 10 yards per carry. He also added 22 touchdowns on the season and was named the Great Lakes Conference Player of the Year. Marks rushed for 251 yards and four TDs in a victory of Elyria Catholic.
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2020
FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
PRESENTED BY UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SPORTS MEDICINE Female High School Athlete of the Year Award is presented to one female high school athlete who has most distinguished herself through athletic excellence during the past year or athletic season and is in good academic standing. PAIGE FLORIEA Mentor High School, Track & Field Paige Floriea was named a finalist during the 2019 Sports Awards Female High School Athlete of the Year after she broke Jesse Owens Stadium’s long jump record. She placed 1st in long jump, 2nd in 200M and 2nd in 60M at the 2020 Indoor State Meet. Floriea was named 2020 News-Herald Girl’s Track & Field Athlete of the Decade. Ohio MileSplit ranks Floriea #1 in Top 50 returning long jumpers in the state across all divisions for 2020 and 2021. She is a 3-time Long Jump State Champion and a 15-time All-State Finisher. She will run track for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
ELLA GILSON Hawken School, Cross Country, Track & Field and Swimming Ella Gilson is a six-time State Champion across cross country, swimming and both indoor and outdoor track. She only lost one race during her 2020 cross country season where she placed 2nd at the State Championship, trailing by only 0.1 second. She had previously won the cross-country State Championship two times as a sophomore and junior. Gilson received All-Ohio Honors and will run track for Harvard University.
SHELBY SALLEE Strongsville High School, Soccer Shelby Sallee is a two-time First-Team All-Ohio Selection and a two-time All-Region athlete and was named to the United Soccer Association’s All America team this past season. During her 2020 season, Sallee became the all-time leading scorer in Strongsville High School history, recording 76 goals. She finished her senior year as a Division I State Champion, leading her team to an undefeated 20-0 season and Strongville’s fifth State Championship. Sallee will join Xavier University’s soccer team next season.
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2020
MALE COLLEGIATE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS PRESENTED BY H. JACK’S PLUMBING & HEATING CO. “THE SUPER PLUMBER!” Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year Award is presented to one collegiate male athlete that has most distinguished himself/itself through athletic excellence during the past year or athletic season and is in good academic standing. DUSTIN CRUM Kent State University, Football (Midview High School) Dustin Crum capped off an exceptional 2019-20 season by being named MVP of the Frisco Bowl in leading Kent State to a 51-41 victory, their first bowl appearance and win in program history. During Kent State’s shortened 2020 season, Crum excelled completing 73.5 percent of his passes for 1,181 yards, 12 touchdowns while also adding 240 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. His three touchdown 348-yard passing performance against Akron on November 17th earned him the Mid-American Conference’s East Offensive Player of the Week and Walter Camp Foundation Player of the Week honors; the first Golden Flash to win the award since Josh Cribbs in 2004. Crum has earned a special waiver from NCAA to return to play in 2021.
DILLON DINGLER The Ohio State University, Baseball (Jackson High School) Dillon Dingler had a stellar career at The Ohio State University before being selected as the 38th pick by the Detroit Tigers in the 2020 MLB Draft; becoming the highest OSU Buckeye drafted. During a shortened 2020 collegiate season, Dingle tied for the Big Ten’s lead in home runs, while his .760 slugging percentage ranked 2nd in the conference, 23rd nationally and 6th among all Division I catchers. Dingler was a three-time OSU Scholar and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten athlete.
MICHAEL ROSE Iowa State University, Football (Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School) Mike Rose is one of the nation’s top collegiate linebackers and was named Big-12 Defensive Player of the Year in leading the Cyclones defense with 81 tackles. Rose earned First-Team All- American by The Athletic and Phil Steele and Second-Team All-American by AP and Sporting News. His five interceptions also ranked 1st in the FBS amongst linebackers and he added 1.5 sacks while leading Iowa State to a 9-3 record in 2020. Rose’s fifth interception came in the fourth quarter of the 2021 Playstation Fiesta Bowl and sealed a 34-17 victory for Iowa State over Oregon.
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2020
FEMALE COLLEGIATE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS PRESENTED BY H. JACK’S PLUMBING & HEATING CO. “THE SUPER PLUMBER!” Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year Award is presented to one female athlete that has most distinguished herself/itself through athletic excellence during the past year or athletic season and is in good academic standing. KELLY BRENNAN Baldwin Wallace University, Cross Country (Walsh Jesuit High School) Kelly Brennan was nominated for 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She is an Academic All-American First-Team selection, All-District 7 First-Team selection and United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic selection. With alterations to the outdoor season, Brennan became the Indoor All-American for the 800-meter. She was the recipient of the Marcia French Most Outstanding Senior Female Athlete Award. This year she broke and holds Baldwin Wallace University’s indoor records for the 500-meter (1:16.83), 800-meter (2:13.65), 1,000-meter (3:01.98) and 2,000-meter (10:06.45). CAMRYN BROWN High Point University, Basketball (Revere High School) Camryn Brown capped off her senior season at High Point and was named 2019-20 Big South Player of the Year, First-Team All-Conference, Millis Scholar Athlete, Big South Scholar Athlete of the Year and an Academic All-American by College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA). During the 2019-20 season, Brown averaged 17 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while also adding 11 blocks and 38 steals. In a win against Winthrop, she set program records for points in a game (44), 3-pointers in a game (10) and field goals made (16). Brown’s 44 points are a Big South Conference record and her 10 three pointers tied for the conference best. NAZ HILLMON University of Michigan, Basketball (Gilmour Academy) Naz Hillmon was named 2020-21 Preseason Big Ten Co-Player of the Year and Preseason All-Big Ten Player after a stellar 2019-20 season. As a sophomore, she finished the season ranked Top 5 in the Big Ten in scoring (17.4 ppg), rebounding (8.7 rpg) and field-goal percentage (.567). Hillmon is a 2020 WBCA All-Region athlete, a WBCA All-America honorable mention athlete and a finalist for the Wade Trophy and Naismith Trophy as well as a two-time finalist for the Katrina McClain Award. Through seven games in the 2020-21 season, Hillmon is averaging 24.6 points per game, 9.9 rebounds per game, ranking second in the Big Ten in scoring and leading the Wolverines to a 7-0 start. She has five double-doubles on the season which ranks first in the Big Ten and 11th nationally. She was named to the Wooden Award’s Midseason Top 25 list.
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2020
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SPORTSTIME OHIO
Professional Athlete of the Year Award is presented to the professional athlete who has most distinguished him or herself through athletic excellence during the past year or athletic season. SHANE BIEBER pitcher, Cleveland Indians Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians ace, was unanimously awarded the American League Cy-Young award after dominating every major pitching statistical category during the 2020 season. He became the first pitcher since 2006 to win the pitching triple crown, as his 1.63 ERA, 122 strikeouts and 8 wins led all Major League Baseball. Bieber logged 77 innings for the Tribe and finished with an 8-1 record in 12 starts with a 0.87 WHIP. He struck out 10 or more hitters in 8 of those games, including a franchise opening day record 14 K’s in 6 shut-out innings, helping Cleveland to a 2-0 victory over the Royals. Bieber followed up his stellar opening day with 13 K’s in his second outing, tying him with the record for most strikeouts through a pitcher’s first two games of the season (27).
MYLES GARRETT defensive end, Cleveland Browns Myles Garrett, leader of the Cleveland Browns defense, recorded 48 tackles and 12 sacks while forcing 4 fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries during the 2020 NFL season. His four forced fumbles are tied for first in the AFC and he ranks 2nd in the AFC with 12 sacks. He became the first Browns player to record at least 10 sacks in three consecutive seasons since the sack became an official stat in 1982. Garrett won AFC Defensive Player of the Week and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October. Myles was also nominated by the Browns for the 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his efforts both on the field and in the community and was named AP First Team All-Pro.
COLLIN SEXTON guard, Cleveland Cavaliers Colin Sexton, Cleveland Cavaliers guard, finished the 2019-20 season averaging 20.8 points and 3 assists per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Sexton appeared in the Rising Stars Game during the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend where he scored 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. He scored a career high 41 points against the Celtics in March during a shortened 2020 NBA season. During eight games played in the 2020-21 season, Sexton’s averaging 25.1 ppg with a 53 % field goal percentage and has scored over 20 points, a Cavaliers franchise record to start a season.
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COURAGE AWARD
PRESENTED BY CLEVELAND CLINIC SPORTS MEDICINE Camryn Colahan, a senior at Vermilion High School in Vermilion, Ohio, overcame major medical obstacles to return to playing competitive sports. As a freshman, Colahan had lettered in varsity volleyball, basketball and track. In 2018, as a sophomore, she was beginning her fourth year on a national level Junior Olympic Volleyball team when Colahan discovered a lump on her inner thigh. The lump started to cause her some discomfort. Immediately following her sectional championship volleyball match, she was taken to Cleveland Clinic Children’s for testing, including an MRI and biopsy. Colahan, who was 15 years old at the time, was diagnosed with Stage 4 alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of soft-tissue cancer. In the days following her diagnosis, the Colahan family met with doctors at Cleveland Clinic Children’s, who put together a treatment plan that included intensive chemotherapy for 10 months and intensive proton beam radiation therapy. While she was still able to attend school during treatment, she was not able to participate in any sports because of fatigue and the time commitment for chemotherapy. By mid-March of 2019, Colahan started to experience second and third-degree burns from the radiation. During the last few weeks of treatment, she needed the assistance of a wheelchair to aide with movement due to her wounds. She began physical therapy in November 2019 to strengthen her coordination and footwork due to side effects from radiation, including significant skin and muscle damage. “It was very frustrating during the season because I was not even close to being as good as I was the season before,” says Colahan. “I still managed to go to practice every day and work my hardest to get back. Running was a challenge because of how weak my body had become. To put it in perspective, I only played 30 seconds of our first game and I was exhausted.” In January 2021, Colahan’s family shared she had completed her maintenance treatment and her scans continue to show no evidence of disease. Colahan completed nearly two years of chemotherapy.
“As I’ve gone through all of this, I have realized what life is about. It’s not about how many followers you have on Instagram, it’s all about how you think of things and knowing that you shouldn’t take anything for granted. Anything can be taken from you at any point. Enjoy every moment you have, and surround yourself with people that you love and make you happy.” Colahan lives with Brett and Aimee, her parents, and her three siblings. She is on the varsity volleyball and basketball teams. Colahan recently committed to play on the women’s volleyball team at Wittenberg University and plans to study psychology. Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Courage Award is given to an athlete who has displayed courage beyond the boundaries of the playing field to inspire those around them.
21ST GREATER CLEVELAND SPORTS AWARDS
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HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY UNION HOME MORTGAGE In 2018, Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers power forward, published an essay in The Players’ Tribune which detailed his personal struggles with mental illness including anxiety, depression and experiencing a panic attack during a NBA game. “I know so many people out there are suffering right now,” said Love. I’m no different. I’m still going through it.” Since sharing his experiences, Love has created the Kevin Love Fund which works to inspire people to live their healthiest lives and provide resources to improve physical and emotional well-being, with the goal of assisting one billion people over the next five years. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Love has continued to shed light on the difficulties of dealing with mental health challenges during this isolating and stressful time. On March 12, 2020, his foundation donated $100,000 to help financially support staff of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and the Cavaliers affected by the loss of work during the pandemic. Additionally, KLF sent a truckload of lunches to the staff of the Cleveland Clinic’s Medical Intensive Care Unit and its COVID-19 testing sites and appeared by FaceTime to personally thank healthcare workers. In recognition of his efforts to helping others struggling with mental illnesses, Love was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award during the 2020 ESPYs, an honor that highlights individuals in sports who have made a global impact on society. “It was an absolute honor to receive this award and I am incredibly humbled by it. In telling my story, if I can help just one child that is suffering to make sense of what they are experiencing, I know my efforts have been worth it,” said Love. “And I hope one day we are able to erase the stigma around mental illness, starting with public conversations around mental health and encouraging people to seek help when they need it, followed by research, action, and change.” Following this recognition, Love announced KLF was pledging $500,000 to his alma mater, UCLA, to establish the Kevin Love Fund Chair in UCLA’s psychology department to help diagnose, prevent, treat and destigmatize anxiety and depression. Kevin Love is an NBA Champion (2016), five-time NBA All-Star (2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018) and an Olympic gold medalist. This 13-year NBA veteran has used his platform to propel the conversation surrounding mental health far beyond the court, inspiring athletes and fans around the world to share their personal mental health struggles and resources on how to cope. Humanitarian of the Year Award presented by Union Home Mortgage is given to an individual whose philanthropic efforts have had a tremendous positive impact on the Cleveland community beyond the field of sport.
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