Athletics presents 17th Jim Wade Awards

Student Publications and Tristan Williams win the 2023 Best Comeback of the Year Award, the Student Athlete Association. MacInnis-Pierce was out for 11 months due to a hip injury, but went on to earn an All-American finish and 5th place finish in the 4x800 at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championship. Williams, meanwhile, competed with a torn shoulder.

Winners of the Chi-Alpha Sigma Award unite, with 61 student-athletes being recognized. Chi-Alpha Sigma is a is a national student-athlete honor society created to recognize student-athletes who excel in the classroom, with a GPA of 3.4 or above. Winners for this year include: Caleb Allen, Grant Baber, Bosten Benn, Ella Benward, Nick Bonifay, Amy Crabaugh, Aja Crawford, Katlyn Davenport, Lexi Duff, Kelsi Fitzgerald, Katelyn Gregory, Hannah Grundy, Kaitlyn Heffernan, Jordan Iwuchukwu, Ruthie Lacy, Zachary Lerblance, Wyatt Long, Grace McLean, Raeslyn Miller, McLain Moss, Jolly Parker, Ally Qualls, Ana Rivera, Derrick Rodriguez, Sonia Ruiz, Fiona Scott, Alexandra Setser, Rebekah Sewell, Andrija Simeunovic, Sophia Smith, Katylin Sweeney, Stephanie Towle, Sydney Trenary, Lily Tucker, Emma Vance, Drake Vannoy, Savannah Whitten, Fiona Wilson, Blake Yohn, and Peyton York.

Individual Jim Wade Award winners are recognized every April. Each sport chooses one member of the team for the award. Above are Madison Caputo, women’s soccer; Thomas McElyea, men’s soccer; Kaitlyn Heffernan, women’s cross country; Pedro Becerra, men’s cross country; Rylee Steward, volleyball; Annilia Dawn, women’s basketball; Zach Lerblance, men’s basketball; Sophie Smith, women’s wrestling; Keegan Luton, men’s wrestling; Ally Setser, dance/pom; Madison Blakey, stunt; Katelyn Gregory, cheer; Natalie Gough, women’s golf; Bosten Benn, men’s golf; Shawna Smith, women’s track and field; Milan Todorovic, men’s track and field; Mallory McCoy, softball; Evan Muan, baseball; Ruthie Lacy, women’s rowing; and Nikola Uveric, men’s rowing.

At left, attendees observe a moment of silence for coaches Denney Crabaugh and Brian Harvey. Former head baseball Coach Crabaugh passed away July 13, 2022. Former head men’s and women’s soccer Coach Harvey passed away Jan. 13, 2023. Above, Sophie Smith and Evan Maun received the 2023 Overall Jim Wade Award. given to the two athletes who excel in the classroom, in athletics, and in the community.

Members of the women’s golf team join Athletic Director Corey Bray after the team won the new award for highest team GPA, with a score of 3.704. The award is one of several introduced this year to create positive competition among different teams. Winners include Logan Allen, Carrie Bowers, Blaine Bruton, Meghan Charles, Natalie Gough, Aubrey House, Maddi Kamas, MaKayla Tyrrell, Jamie Welsh, and Paige Wood.