Red Carpet Photo Gallery

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University athletic department hosted its annual end-of-year sports award ceremony on Monday night, honoring standout team and individual athletic performances from Wingate student-athletes over the past academic year. This was the first year of the WUSPYS, an idea created by the Wingate University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Awards such as best breakthrough athlete, best championship team, best game, best championship performances and other categories were added in addition to the traditional male and female athlete of the year awards.

In addition, team awards were handed out at the beginning of the show, with each team recognizing an MVP and then another award such as a Coaches Award or Newcomer of the Year. To learn more about the WUSPYS, one can follow @WUSPYS on Twitter and search using the #WUSPYS hash tag.

The J. Howard Williams Award for Male Athlete of the Year
Chris Bowden, football
Chris Bowden was a consensus first team All-American wide receiver for the Bulldogs, receiving All-American honors from four publications while also being named one of eight finalists for the Harlon Hill Award, going to the top player in all of NCAA Division II Football. The SAC Offensive Player of the Year, Bowden caught 106 passes for 1359 yards and nine touchdowns in 2012. Bowden is Wingate’s all-time leading receiver with 263 catches for 3719 yards and 35 TDs. He holds every significant school receiving record. His 263 catches and 3719 yards are SAC records, while his 35 touchdowns are second on the all-time SAC charts. A first team All-SAC selection, Bowden led the conference in receptions per game (9.64) and receiving yards per game (123.55). Bowden finished tied for second and third, respectively, on the NCAA charts. He is the second player in league history to catch 100+ passes in a season.

Other nominees:
Brian Denton, MGOLF
Steve Hammond, MXC
Odell Turner, MBB
Thomas Spitz, BSB
Spencer Waganaar, MSWIM

The Joyce Gragg Pipes Award for Female Athlete of the Year
Jade Montgomery, Women’s Soccer
Jade Montgomery is the first-ever Wingate women’s soccer player to earn first team All-American honors. The SAC Player of the Year led the nation with 21 goals and 1.167 goals per game. Her 2.67 points per game were good for second nationally. Montgomery scored multiple goals six times, registering three hat tricks. She had a streak of 10 straight games with at least one point. Montgomery scored more goals in SAC contests (11) than seven SAC teams did, leading Wingate to its third straight SAC Tournament championship game and second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

Other nominees:
Lucia Careaga, WGOLF
Chantal Dunbar, WBB
Anna Hilton, VB
Katie Pheil, WSWIM
Keeley Wood, WXC

Arthur Joseph “Pepper” Geddings, Jr. Award (Best overall student-athlete)
Grace Krauser, Volleyball (Sociology, 4.00 GPA)
This award is in memory of Wingate Junior College baseball player Pepper Geddings. The award stands for everything that is right about college athletics: athletic ability, scholarship, leadership, citizenship and service. Pepper Geddings was an once-in-a-lifetime student-athlete who made his mark on Wingate University in his short two years. A star baseball player for Hall of Fame coach Ron Christopher, Pepper went on to study at Appalachian State University. He was tragically killed when he was struck by a baseball in a scrimmage game at Wingate.

Krauser is the first NCAA Division II volleyball student-athlete to earn the Elite 89 Award twice in her career. The award goes to the student-athlete in the Elite Eight with the highest GPA. She is a two-time Capital One Academic All-America® award winner. This year, Krauser earned All-SAC honors for the second straight year while averaging 1.87 kills per set. She finished fourth in the SAC with 0.82 blocks per set and sixth with a .283 hitting percentage. On campus, Krauser is a sister in Alpha Xi Delta. A SAAC member, she has helped raise funds for Autism Speaks and Make-A-Wish. Krauser has served as a Presidential Ambassador and helped with the Day for Wingate.

Other nominees:
Garrett Dahms, MGOLF
Kelli Ferguson, WTEN
Amanda Gilbert, WSWIM
Robbie Nallenweg, FB

Freshman Male Athlete of the Year
TJ Rinoski, Baseball
TJ Rinoski earned SAC Freshman of the Year honors, while also earning second team All-SAC accolades. Rinoski finished second in the SAC with a 1.76 ERA, going 6-1 on the season. Rinoski notched three complete games, including two nine-inning complete games. He allowed only 36 hits in 56 1/3 innings of work, holding opponents to a .182 batting average. Rinoski did not allow more than seven hits in any appearance, holding opponents to five hits or less in eight appearances.

Other nominees:
Kennedy Cancelado, MTEN
Tyler Stone, MGOLF
Ryan Vogrig, MLAX
Ossian Arvidsson, MSWIM

Freshman Female Athlete of the Year
Rita Koryukova, Women’s Swimming
Koryukova was an NCAA All-American in three events (100 Back, 200 Medley Relay and 400 Medley Relay), setting school records in each event. In the BMC championships, she was All-BMC in five events, helping Wingate win the 200 and 400 Medley Relay titles.

Other nominees:
Brooke Cull, WTRACK
Stacey Houser, SB
Morgan McGee, WBB
Johanna Neumann, WGOLF
Shelly Stumpff, VB

Male Breakthrough Athlete
Ryan Daye, Men’s Basketball
After averaging only 1.5 points per game during his freshman year, sophomore guard Ryan Daye finished second on the team  with 11.3 points per game in the 2012-13 season. He shot 47 percent from the field, 42 percent from threes and 77 percent from the free throw line, leading the team in scoring 10 times while scoring over 20 points three times.

Other Nominees:
Bryan Caffrey, FB
Olen Little, BSB
Reed Miller, MSWIM

Female Breakthrough Athlete
Shelby Forza, Women’s Soccer
After scoring five goals in her first three seasons at Wingate, Forza piled up seven goals and five assists in her senior season, earning first team All-SAC honors while helping to lead the Bulldogs to an 8-1 SAC record and their second straight NCAA Tournament bid.

Other Nominees:
Alexis Burrell, SB
Chantal Dunbar, WBB
Valerie Dembny, WSWIM

Best Championship Performance
Katie Pheil, Women’s Swimming
Junior Katie Pheil earned All-American honors in six events (two individual, four relay) at the 2013 NCAA championship meet. She set three individual school records at the same event, in addition to playing a role in three new relay records. Pheil finished second in the 200 Freestyle with a new school record time. Pheil led the Bulldogs to their first BMC title since 2005, while also leading Wingate to a fifth place finish at the NCAA meet, the highest finish in women’s swimming history.

Other Nominees:
Steve Hammond, MXC (SAC Championship meet)
Rory Julyan, MSWIM (NCAA National meet)
JaLisha Little, WTRACK (Regional meet)
Shelly Stumpff, VB (SAC Championship game)
Deion Turman, MBB (SAC Championship game)
Tiffany Williams, WTEN (SAC Championship)
Keeley Wood, WXC (SAC Championship meet)

Wounded Bulldog Award
Cory McGowan, Volleyball
Cory McGowan endured a horrific knee injury during the season that tore her ACL, MCL, PCL, and lateral meniscus. Regardless of the injury, Corey approached the road to recovery with determination and perseverance. She continues to be source of joy in the Athletic Training room as she comes in to work.

Other Nominees:
Brandi Baldwin, WSOC
Justin Somers, BSB

Play of the Year
Pedro Figuiera’s last-minute goal against #8 Lander in regional semifinals
With Wingate and #8 Lander tied 1-1 in the final minute of the NCAA Regional men’s soccer semifinals, Wingate’s Pedro Figuiera lined home a cross from James Card, giving the Bulldogs a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Bearcats to advance to the Sweet 16. Wingate would go on to defeat #17 Flagler to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight.

Other Nominees:
Blake Prince walk-off homer against Mars Hill
Eddie Lewis OT buzzer-beater three-pointer for one-point win at Brevard
Football goal line stand against Carson-Newman
Kayla Saliga walk-off homer against Catawba
Women’s Swimming wins 200 Free Relay with top time in the nation

Best Championship Team
Wingate Volleyball
SAC regular season champions and SAC Tournament champions for the seventh consecutive year. Won NCAA Southeast Regional for second time in three years with sweeps over Lenoir-Rhyne, Newberry and Tusculum before falling in the NCAA Elite Eight to six-time defending champion Concordia-St. Paul 3-1 after winning the first set.

Other Nominees:
Men’s Soccer
Men’s Swimming
Women’s Swimming
Women’s Tennis
Women’s Track & Field

Game of the Year
Volleyball defeats Tusculum 3-2 in SAC title Match
The Bulldogs won their seventh consecutive SAC tournament in dramatic fashion, defeating a Tusculum team that earlier in the season had ended Wingate’s historic 83-match SAC winning streak. The Bulldogs won the first and third set, while Tusculum took sets two and four to force a fifth set. With the decisive set tied at 10, Wingate got kills from Anna Hilton and Susie Murach to take a 13-12 lead. Shelly Stumpff and Lexi Potter would follow with a huge block to push the lead to 14-12, while a Tusculum error gave the Bulldogs the title. Wingate would go on to sweep through regional, defeating the Pioneers 3-0 in the regional title match to reach the Elite Eight.

Other Nominees:
Baseball overcomes 7-1 deficit for 9-7 win over Newberry
Football beats Carson-Newman on national television
Women’s Golf wins Pinehurst Challenge
Lacrosse defeats Florida Tech 14-13 in overtime
Men’s Soccer beats #8 Lander 2-1 in NCAA regional semifinals
Men’s Swimming wins sixth straight BMC title
Women’s Tennis rallies for 5-4 win over Tusculum

Best Upset Win
Men’s soccer wins 2-1 over #8 Lander to reach NCAA Sweet 16
Pedro Figuiera scored with 42 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Bulldogs the 2-1 victory over top seed and tournament host Lander, who was ranked eighth in the nation. The win sent the Bulldogs to the sweet 16, where they would knock off 17th-ranked Flagler to reach the Elite Eight.

Other Nominees:
Baseball beats #1 Mount Olive 8-7
Men’s Basketball beats #11 LMU 69-53 in SAC title game
Women’s Basketball beats #20 Lander 57-56
Softball beats #4 North Georgia 4-2

Additional Awards
C.B. and Beadie Haskins Scholar-Athlete Award (highest GPA)
Grace Krauser, Volleyball
Bulldog Club Spirit Award
Robert Fletcher, Football
Kasey Pendley, Softball
Athletic Department Service Award
Caleb Barnhardt
Fanatic Fan Award
Andrew Lipscomb

Team Awards
Men’s Cross Country
MVP: Steve Hammond
Find A Way Award: James Lawson
Women’s Cross Country
MVP: Keeley Wood
Find A Way Award: Melanie Wollenberg
Men’s Soccer
Player of the Year: Corey McCollom
Newcomer of the Year: Victor Tozelli
Women’s Soccer
MVP: Jade Montgomery
Most Improved: Taryn Grivois
Volleyball
MVP: Anna Hilton
Courageous Comeback Award: Cory McGowan
Football
MVP: Chris Bowden
Leadership Award: Robert Fletcher
Men’s Swimming
MVP: Spencer Waganaar
Scholar-Athlete: Reed Miller
Women’s Swimming
MVP: Katie Pheil
Bridget Beth Melvin Award: Caitlin Budnik
Men’s Basketball
MVP: Odell Turner
Most Improved: Deion Turman
Women’s Basketball
MVP: Sarah Wollett
Most Outstanding Player: Chantal Dunbar
Baseball
MVP: Thomas Spitz
Coaches Award: Tyler Simmons
Softball
MVP: Stacey Houser
Defensive Award: Taylor Laskey
Lacrosse
MVP: Garrett Kendall
John R. Dodd Award: Michael Acosta
Men’s Golf
MVP: Brian Denton
Freshman of the Year: Tyler Stone
Women’s Golf
MVP: Lucia Careaga Herrera
Senior Leadership Award: Megan Levy
Men’s Tennis
MVP: Ryan Forbes
Coaches Award: Josh Eardley
Women’s Tennis
MVP: Morgan Winston
Coaches Award: Kelli Ferguson
Men’s Track and Field
Track Performer of the Year: Cole Henderson                                   
Field Performer of the Year: Astute Evans     
Women’s Track and Field
Track Performer of the Year: JaLisha Little    
Field Performer of the Year: Christina Matheny

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University, ranked as the 6th “best value” in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves nearly 2,700 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past seven years.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing private colleges in the 2000’s with 52 selections. Among North Carolina’s colleges and universities, Wingate’s 52 Academic All-America® honorees is second (to Duke University) during this millennium. Wingate’s 61 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.