Student-Athletes Honored at 2022-23 Roary’s
ADA, Okla. – The East Central University Student-Athlete Athletic Committee and the Athletics Department honored its 2022-23 student-athletes at the annual Roary's banquet Monday night.
The evening celebrated the highlights of the 2022-23 athletic year for the Tigers, which included:
- Men's Cross Country earning its 8th conference championship in 12 years, along with Head Coach Steve Sawyer claiming his 8th GAC Coach of the Year accolade
- Both Men's and Women's Cross Country teams competing at the NCAA Central Regionals
- Had an individual Men's Cross Country runner participate in the NCAA D2 National Championships as the only GAC representative
- Football having the best season in 30 years, finishing with a 9-3 record, making its seventh bowl game appearance in school history at the Heritage Bowl, and becoming the 2022-23 Division II football statistical champion for Turnover Margin Per Game
- Volleyball continuing its recent success by tying its record of most wins in a season with 15 and claiming the No. 5 seed at the GAC tournament
- Men's and Women's Basketball earning trips to the postseason tournament along with numerous All-GAC performers and academic awards
Headlining the awards were the 2022-23 Male and Female ECU Scholar-Athletes of the Year. This year, the awards were presented to
Justin Chitty from baseball and
Gabby Cummins from women's basketball.
Chitty has dedicated four years to Tiger Athletics, graduating and finishing out his career n the baseball team with the highest GPA. He is a member of the Business Scholar Leader Program, a program for junior and senior business majors who demonstrate academic excellence and are seeking to better themselves through student engagement and cultural enrichment, and was also named to the D2 ADA and GAC All-Academic Team representing ECU baseball. He will graduate in May with a 3.90 GPA in Business Administration – Marketing.
Cummins will leave the Tigers well-known for her work in the classroom and hard work in the gym. She finished her basketball career playing in 92 games and totaling 112 rebounds, 32 assists, and 29 steals while also earning spots on the All- GAC and D2ADA Academic Teams and being named a two-time GAC Elite Scholar Athlete, which is given to athletes participating in the postseason tournament with the highest GPA. She will graduate this May with a perfect 4.0 GPA in Political Science / Legal Studies. She will then continue her education at the University of Oklahoma, where she will attend the College of Law.
2022-23 Roary's Awards
Jerry Anderson Award - Paige Jones - Soccer
Soccer
Offensive MVP –
Abbie Morris
Defensive MVP –
McKenna Leveling
Teammate of the Year –
Paige Jones
Volleyball
Offensive Player of the Year –
Emma Strickland
Defensive Player of the Year –
Alejandra Delgado
Most Valuable Player –
Nyah Walker
Football
Offensive MVP –
Miles Davis
Defensive MVP –
Devon Roush
Special Teams MVP –
Alexis Lopez
Women's Cross Country
Female Runner of the Year –
Abigael Kemboi
Female Newcomer of the Year –
Sharon Jesang
Men's Cross Country
Male Runner of the Year –
Amos Pkiach
Male Newcomer of the Year –
Oliver Kiptoo
Women's Basketball
Most Valuable Offensive Player –
Mackenzie Crusoe
Most Valuable Defensive Player –
Izzy Cummins
Heart & Hustle Award –
Kennedy Cummings
Men's Basketball
Grit Award –
Keyon Thomas
Humility Award –
Romello Wilbert
Toughness Award –
Barron Tanner, Jr.
Discipline Award –
Luke Harper
Love Award –
Godsgift Ezedinma
Baseball
Kaizen Award –
Cooper Hunt
Ken Turner Award –
Dione Allen
Most Valuable Player –
Ian Mason
Softball
Darlene Dryden Memorial Scholarship –
Cheyenne Adair
Tiger Tough –
Rikki Hadley
Batting Champion –
Megan Lesko and
Elyse LeClair
Golden Glove –
Vanessa Tamayo
Pitcher of the Year –
Taryn O'Brien
Women's Track & Field
Female Field Athlete of the Year –
Kaylyn Cotner
Female Track Athlete of the Year –
Abigael Kemboi
Men's Track & Field
Male Field Athlete of the Year –
Peyton Holland
Male Track Athlete of the Year –
Aspel Kiprob
Spirit
Most Spirited –
Derrick Stevens
Upcoming Performer – Noelia Cruz-Vidal
Pom of the Year –
Sadie Stonecipher
Cheerleader of the Year –
Sophia Roland
Stunt of the Year –
Braxtyn Sanford,
Sean Carmichael, Zack Dickey,
Jaylan Miller,
Sydnie Hall
Strength & Conditioning
Men's Cross Country and Track & Field –
AJ Gustin
Women's Cross Country and Track & Field –
Madison Hamm
Football –
Ke'Von Curry
Soccer –
McKenna Leveling
Volleyball –
Macey McAmis
Men's Basketball –
Jakeem Acres
Women's Basketball –
Izzy Cummins
Baseball –
Brian Pasha
Softball –
Vanessa Tamayo
Powerlifting –
Braxtyn Sanford
Athletic Training
Comeback of the Year –
Nolan Herchock (Baseball)
Comeback of the Year –
Kate Ogle (Women's Basketball)
SAAC
Comeback of the Year –
Zoe Acosta (Softball)
Play of the Year –
Britton Sperry (Baseball)
Tiger Tough Male of the Year –
John Vaughan (Track & Field)
Tiger Tough Female of the Year –
Izzy Cummins (Women's Basketball)
Trainer of the Year – Ryan Reynolds
Coach of the Year –
Steve Sawyer
Team of the Year – Men's Cross Country
