RALEIGH, N.C. (April 20) – Shaw University held its annual athletic banquet at historic Spaulding Gymnasium on Monday, April 17.

Track & field coaching legend George Williams was the guest speaker. Student-athletes received awards for their athletic achievements for the 2022-23 season.

Below is the list of award winners:

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Highest GPA: Makenzie Pollard
Free Throw Award: Makenzie Pollard
Coaches Award: Kalissa Jameson
Rebound Award: Brittiney Seymour
 
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Highest GPA: George Edwards
Most Valuable Team Member: Mathew Kiptum
Most Improved Player: Fabien Niyirora
Rookie of the Year: Alex Kiprono
 
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Highest GPA: Thea Schillaci
Most Valuable Team Member: Thea Schillaci
Most Improved Player: Rhianna Smith
Rookie of the Year: Joyce Kiptum
 
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Highest GPA: Thea Schillaci
Most Valuable Team Member: Symone Wright
Most Improved Player: Imani Corbett
Rookie of the Year: Ashanti Wright
 
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Highest GPA: Noelani Beard
Most Improved Player: Amari Earl
Most Valuable Player: Kamille Patrick
Newcomer of the Year: Khamare Steppe
 
SOFTBALL
Highest GPA: Regina DeDecker
"1-0 Award": Ayania Williams
Most Improved Player: Bri'Anna Chavis and Sas'Kia Stephens
Newcomer of the Year: D'Amani Gadson
 
WOMEN'S BOWLING
Highest GPA: Thalita Faria
Newcomer of the Year: Brooke Smith
Most Improved Player: Lorena Gonzalez
Most Valuable Player: Brooke Smith
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Highest GPA: Caleb Simmons
Most Valuable Player: Doriuntas Barnes
Rookie of the Year: Amiri Waddell and Shayne Siago
Most Improved Player: Jamari Roberts
 
MEN'S JAYVEE BASKETBALL
Most Valuable Player: Kenny Anderson
Rookie of the Year: Dorian Hilliard
Most Improved Player: Jarius Taylor
 
FOOTBALL
Highest GPA: Devin Versteegen
Offensive MVP: Sidney Gibbs and Andre Brandon, Jr.
Defensive MVP: Jay Boyd
Rookie/Newcomer of the Year: Elijah Wilson
Most Improved Player: Joerail White
 
MEN'S SOCCER
Academic Award: Fabrizio Lucia
Leadership Award: Ben Zuhlke
Best Offensive Player: Wissem Obeid (most points)
Endurance Award: Ben Zuhlke (most minutes played)
Tenacity Award: Lemar Catlyn and Shady Hammam
Newcomer of the Year: Collin Gentle and Kion Stewart
 
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Highest GPA: Natalya Rubiano Gonzalez
Leadership Award: Thalita Faria and Victoria Hines
Best Offensive Player: Ana Schardong (most points)
Endurance Award: Victoria Hines (most minutes played)
Tenacity Award: Yasmine Burrill and Lorena Gonzalez
Newcomer of the Year: Sina Kummerow
 
MEN'S TENNIS
Highest GPA: Aakarshit Mahajan
Newcomer of the Year: Eduardo Valenca
Most Improved Player: Lorenzo Martinetti
Most Valuable Player: Aakarshit Mahajan
 
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Highest GPA: Dana Moreno
Rookie of the Year: Prerana Koirala
Most Improved Player: Anja Antonijevic
Most Valuable Player: Dana Moreno
 
CHEERLEADING
Highest GPA: JahKara Reid
Most Valuable Cheerleader: Sheldon Seymour
Most Improved Cheerleader: Iyona Russell
Chi Chi of the Year: JahKara Reid
Freshman of the Year: Shahasah Anderson
 
MEDIA RELATIONS
Unsung Hero: Jaden Clark
Unsung Hero: Zhianna Davis
Unsung Hero: Toni Dudley
Unsung Hero: Joerail White
Unsung Hero: Innocent Mosley
 
ATHLETIC TRAINING
Most Valuable Athletic Training Student Award: Maryah Smith
Most Valuable Athletic Training Student Award: Zakharia Cooper
Most Valuable Athletic Training Student Award: Nadia Alexander
Rookie/Newcomer Award: Kalayah Elmore
 
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR'S ACADEMIC AWARD
Highest GPA Female Student-Athlete: Thalita Faria
Highest GPA Male Student-Athlete: Fabrizio Lucia
 
CHESTER DAVIS SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Female Student-Athlete: Kalissa Jameson
Male Student-Athlete: Sidney Gibbs
 
UNSUNG HERO
Support Staff: Stephanie Davis
Support Staff: Howard Perdue
Support Staff: Byrd Winsted