AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Augusta University Athletic department hosted the William Sherrill Athletics Awards Banquet on Tuesday, May 2 in Christenberry Fieldhouse and honored student-athletes and coaches for their contributions in the 2016-17 seasons.
The annual awards banquet recognizes Augusta University student-athletes who have excelled in competition and in the classroom. The banquet was named in honor of William S. Sherrill, Jr., in 2014. Bill Sherrill was a committed Jaguar Athletics supporter and founder of the Jaguar Club. He entered into rest on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014. Sherrill endowed the S.C.O.P.E. Scholarship for student-athletes who have completed their eligibility.
Team and academic awards were given out, as well as overall awards for the entire department that cover all 13-sports. The department gives out five awards that are named in honor of Jaguar supporters.
New this year was the Roscoe Williams Female & Male Freshman of The Year Award.
Dr. Roscoe Williams was the former dean of students for the Jaguars for almost three decades beginning in 1970. He was inducted into the Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame in 2011 and was inducted in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Hall of Fame in 1992. Williams starred for the basketball teams at Laney and Paine in the 1950s and taught at A.R. Johnson and Josey before coaching men's basketball at Paine (1963-67).
The Tommy Werrick Scholar-Athlete Awards are given to the male and female student-athlete with the highest GPA for the department. A member of the 1966 inaugural Jaguar Baseball team and local high school coach, Tommy Werrick always had high academic goals and instilled them to his team and beyond. Tommy passed away in July 1990 and the award is presented in his honor for upholding academic standards.
The Dick Wallace Coach of the Year Award is named in honor of former president of Augusta College Dick Wallace. He exhibited tremendous support for athletics during his tenure and he passed away in 2009. The Dick Wallace Coach of Year Award continues to recognize coaches who embody class and respect while excelling on the field of competition.
The Gerald Daise Leadership Award is given to one student-athlete who exemplifies excellent guidance on and off the playing field. A former basketball player from 1989-to-1993, Gerald Daise died in his early 20s after a battle with cancer. He exhibited leadership beyond his athletic team and the award was named in honor of Gerald in the late 1990s.
The Fred Barnabei Female & Male Athlete of the Year Awards were named in honor of former Vice President for Student Services at Augusta State University Fred Barnabei. Barnabei began working with the university 1988 and he retired from ASU in 2005 as Vice President for Business and Student Services.
Full list of individual and team awards below (Winners in Bold)
Tommy Werrick Scholar-Athlete Awards
- Senior Monica Gonzalez, Women's Tennis
- Senior Matthew Kuhlenberg, Baseball
Dick Wallace Coach of the Year Award
- Dip Metress, Men's Basketball
- Adam Ward, Cross Country & Track
- Caroline Hegg, Women's Golf
Gerald Daise Leadership Award
- Senior Catherine DeSilvester, Volleyball
- Senior Kristen Mills, Softball
- Senior Tyler Roberts, Baseball
- Senior Keshun Sherrill, Men's Basketball
Fred Barnabei Female Athlete of the Year
- Senior Jessica Haigwood, Golf
- Freshman Pricilla Cartwright, Cross Country & Track
- Senior Breonna O'Conner, Basketball
Fred Barnabei Male Athlete of the Year
- Senior Keshun Sherrill, Basketball
- Junior Broc Everett, Golf
- Sophomore Daniel Broadhead, Cross Country & Track
Roscoe Williams Female Freshman of the Year
- Jessica Hedrick, Volleyball
- Pricilla Cartwright, Cross Country & Track
- Linda Lundqvist, Golf
Roscoe Williams Male Freshman of the Year
- Carrington Evans, Baseball
- Gustav Andersson, Golf
- Shane Rowand, Track & Field
The Jaguar Cup
Given to an Augusta team based on
1. Participation in community service
2. Attendance at athletic events
3. Overall team GPA
- There was a tie this year between men's basketball and softball!
*** MVP, Most Improved, and Coaches Awards are given out to all 13 sports
VOLLEYBALL
MVP: Blair Bolton
Most Improved: Payton Murchie
Coaches Award: Rachel Windle
WOMEN'S XC
MVP: Lara Way
Most Improved: McKenzie Knudsen
Coaches Award: Diana Petrmichlova
MEN'S XC
MVP: Dylan Forester
Most Improved: Noah Hulett
Coaches Award: Will Hammesfahr
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
MVP: Kiana Kelly
Most Improved: Mallory Howard
Coaches Award: Heather Hammett
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD
MVP: Taylor Coxwell
Most Improved: Kudakwashe Nyahuma
Coaches Award: Ryan White
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
MVP: Breonna O'Conner
Most Improved: Brianna Middleton
Coaches Award: Kayla Lovett
MEN'S BASKETBALL
MVP: Keshun Sherrill
Most Improved: Tyvez Monroe
Coaches Award: Ben Ursich
WOMEN'S TENNIS
MVP: Eva Miralles-Miro
Most Improved: Eva Miralles-Miro
Coaches Award: Alejandra Gonzalez Arranz
MEN'S TENNIS
MVP: Patrick Oliveira
Most Improved: Gabriel Pansera
Coaches Award: Joao Gabriel Freitas
SOFTBALL
MVP: Ashley Boyd
Most Improved: Kelsea Hunter
Coaches Award: Auburn Balcorta
BASEBALL
MVP: Tyler Roberts
Most Improved: Cole Janousek
Coaches Award: Chance Warnock
WOMEN'S GOLF
MVP: Jessica Haigwood
Most Improved: Maggie Ashmore
Coaches Award: Charlotte Alran
MEN'S GOLF
MVP: Broc Everett
Most Improved: Viktor Edin
Coaches Award: Gustav Andersson
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