General | 4/26/2024 11:20:00 AM
DENTON, Texas (April 26, 2024) – A cornerstone quality of the Texas Woman's athletics is celebration – celebrating the big moments, the small successes and all the excellence - together.
As the academic year begins to wind down, the Pioneers gathered together to celebrate an incredible year and present the annual awards at the 2024 Oakleys on Monday, April 22 in Hubbard Hall.
The annual awards ceremony, hosted by the TWU Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), featured recognition for leadership, service, passion and athletic and academic success. The Pioneers also shared recaps from all nine sports and celebrated all the success from this year.
"The Oakleys is my favorite event of the year where we get to celebrate all of the hard-work across the TWU Athletics Department," said TWU SAAC President Laurel Jones. "All of the dedication and thought that went into the night came out perfectly, and I am so grateful to have had one last night celebrating my time in TWU Athletics and as the SAAC President. Forever and always T DUB! U Know!!"
The night began by honoring an Outstanding Athlete for each sport, as selected by the head coach of each respective sport.
The Outstanding Athlete for each sport are listed here:
Along with their sport-specific practices, each team does strength and conditioning training to improve their overall performance in their sport. To celebrate the student-athletes' hard work in the gym, Baxendale selected an individual to honor from each team for her All-Sports Performance Team.
"This has been another successful and exciting year for Sports Performance," Baxendale said. "I want to thank you all for putting in so much hard work throughout the year and continuing to push yourselves and your teammates both physically and mentally. It has been a great joy to see the progress that everyone has made this school year."
The All-Sports Performance Team is listed here:
To begin the individual award honorees, TWU Director of Athletics Sandee Mott presented the 2024 Pioneer Athletics Champion Award to an individual or group who went above and beyond in their service to our student-athletes and department.
"This award is given to an individual, couple, or business who has demonstrated outstanding support of the Pioneer teams and staff by sharing their time, talent and treasure," Mott said.
This year's recipient of the Pioneer Athletics Champion Award was the Pioneer Pep Band and the award was accepted by the Pioneer Pep Band Director Dr. Carter Biggers.
During this past year, the Pioneer Pep Band supported the Pioneers by playing and bringing energy not only at home events, but also on the road at conference tournaments – even traveling to Missouri to support the TWU basketball team in the National Championship game.
While we celebrate the present achievements of our student-athletes, these celebrations would not be possible without the giants who left their legacy and truly defined what it means to be a Pioneer student-athlete. These women left a legacy of leadership, passion and tenacity, which our athletes continue to be inspired by to this day.
In honor of these amazing women, current student-athletes are nominated by their coaches and then selected by the Athletic Department to receive these namesake awards.
First, the Kitty Magee Award honors Kitty Winter Magee, the first chairwoman of the Texas Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. Magee was an associate professor at TWU until 1981, co-founder of the Pioneer Club for student-athlete scholarships, and a member of the TWU Athletics Hall of Fame. She was revered for her bold dedication to female athletics and TWU.
The 2024 Kitty Magee Award honoree is Jermariah Ferguson.
Ferguson excelled as a member of the Pioneer wrestling team this season. She became the first Pioneer to place second in the inaugural Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Championship. She was named Second Team All-RMAC, becoming the first All-RMAC honoree in program history. Ferguson also qualified and competed in the 2024 National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship.
"Jermariah has continued to be consistent in practice and in competition," said TWU Head Wrestling Coach Randi Miller. "Her dedication to excellence led her to have our best finish at the RMAC Tournament. This season, she maintained a 3.1 GPA, while also representing the Pioneers well at the National Tournament."
Second, the Dianne Baker Award celebrates former TWU Head Softball Coach Dianne Baker. Baker, the head coach from 1997 to 2005, posted an amazing career coaching record of 785-462-3, establishing her among the winningest coaches in the NCAA. While coaching the Pioneers, she had a record of 285-165-2 and was named the 1999 and 2002 Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year. A TWU faculty member, a TWU Athletics Hall of Fame member, and a TWU Distinguished Alumna, Baker is revered for the intensity and passion she coached and played with.
The 2024 Dianne Baker Award recipient is Alyssa Valdez.
In her junior year with the Pioneers, Valdez recorded her first career goal and led the Pioneers back to the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament. She was named a CSC Academic All-District honoree and an All-Second Team honoree.
"Alyssa doesn't take plays or days off," said TWU Head Soccer Coach Babak Abouzar. "She always stays after practice to get better technically and physically. She has also been recognized and is respected by every team in the conference. Through everything she does, she personifies the true definition of hating to lose more than loving to win. She always pushes those around her to get better, and she is always the teammate who is willing to do whatever is necessary for others to get better."
Next, the Jo Kuhn Award honors former TWU Director of Athletics and Coach Jo Kuhn. She served as the TWU Director of Athletics for 10 years (1982-92), while also coaching and teaching at TWU. Kuhn is also a member of the TWU Athletics Hall of Fame. She is revered for her strong, outstanding leadership.
The 2024 Jo Kuhn Award honoree is Alyssa LeBlanc.
In her senior year with the Pioneers, LeBlanc continues to lead TWU softball, as a stand-out pitcher and batter. She currently sits 15 strikeouts away from recording 1,000 strikeouts on her career. On the season, she has 44 hits, 26 RBIs and 10 home runs.
"Alyssa has gone above and beyond to help this team get better and reach historical heights," said TWU Head Softball Coach Gay McNutt. "She is not afraid to hold herself and her teammates accountable. LeBlanc battles adversity well and continues to be resilient in getting her team to be better."
The final namesake award is the Dr. Bettye Meyers Service Award. Dr. Bettye Meyers is known for her commitment to serving the TWU community and the greater community at-large. This award is given to the athlete who received the most community service hours throughout the year.
The 2024 Dr. Bettye Meyers Service Award recipient is Anaya Kashikar.
Kashikar, a member of TWU artistic swimming, has a heart for service and displayed that in her intentional focus on giving back to her community this year. She also helped lead the Pioneers to history in the pool, as TWU recorded their highest finish at USA Collegiate Nationals – placing third as a team.
"I am so proud of Anaya Kashikar winning the Dr. Bettye Myers Award," said TWU Associate Athletic Director and SAAC Advisor Madison Seaver. "Anaya has made significant contributions to the TWU and Denton community through service. If you know Anaya, she is an others first person which truly embodies the values of the Dr. Bettye Myers Award."
Lastly, the coaches and administrators vote on the Pioneer Athlete of the Year Award.
The Pioneer Athlete of the Year honors the student-athlete with the overall highest athletics achievements of the past academic year.
The 2024 Pioneer Athlete of the Year is Ashley Ingram.
Ingram wins the award for the third straight year. In her junior season, Ingram led the Pioneers to the NCAA Division II National Championship game. She also made history this season, as she became the first Pioneer to be named the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year. She was also named a WBCA and D2CCA All-American and a CSC Academic All-American. On their way to their first Elite 8 Appearance, Ingram was named the 2024 NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament MVP. She eclipsed 1,500 points on the season and helped guide the Pioneers to history.
"This season Ashley was named a two-time All-American, helped guide our team to finish as National Champion Runner-Up, and scored over 1,500 points this season," said TWU Head Basketball Coach Beth Jillson. Ashley exhibits a high character for our team and is a strong leader. She displays a team first mentality in all she does. She helps lead our team by being a fierce competitor, and she is all in for TWU."
Scout Huffman was honored with the 2024 Chancellor's Award, which is awarded to the Pioneer who has demonstrated excellence in her sport and in the classroom and has been committed to positively promoting TWU Athletics on campus and in the community.
In her fourth year with the Pioneers, Huffman served as a strong leader for the Pioneers during their historical season. She was named Second Team All-LSC and NCAA Division II Elite Eight All-Tournament Team. Huffman finished the season with a career high 404 points, 22 steals, 45 assists and 176 rebounds. Huffman also served this year as a National SAAC Representative.
"Scout leads on her team with a truly team-first and selfless focus," Jillson said. "She excelled this season on the court, in the classroom and in leadership. She plays and serves with an intangible joy that is amazing to be around. She is truly deserving of this award."
Next, Mott awarded the 2024 Athletic Director's Award to senior volleyball student-athlete Lexi Williams.
Williams has played for TWU volleyball since the 2020 season. During her four years, she recorded 112 kills and 19 total blocks. However, beyond her stats on the court, she excelled as a teammate, leader and true representation of what it means to be a Pioneer student-athlete. Mott awarded Williams with the Athletic Director's Award to honor her incredible leadership, commitment and positive legacy she will leave at TWU.
Following the Athletic Director's Award presentation, the 2024 SAAC awards were announced. Each year, SAAC nominates and votes on four awards.
First, the Comeback Player of the Year Award is awarded to the athlete who suffered from an injury the previous season and worked to come back this season.
The 2024 Comeback Player of the Year winner was Lainey Hunt.
Hunt, a junior for TWU gymnastics, entered the bars lineup for the Pioneers this season as the consistent lead-off on bars. She scored a career high 9.825 for the Pioneers on the season and also received the MIC Coaches Choice Award during the season, which is a weekly award.
Second, the Newcomer of the Year is awarded to a first-year Pioneer athlete with notable achievements in their first season.
The 2024 Newcomer of the Year was Erica Brelove.
In her freshman season, Brelove led the TWU soccer team to a historical season, including an appearance in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament. Brelove led the Pioneers back line that ranked second in NCAA Division II in goals allowed on the season. She also was integral in the TWU attack, as she scored three goals on the season. Brelove was named Second Team All-LSC, LSC All-Tournament Team and D2CCA All-Region.
The final SAAC award, the Athletes' Choice Award, is awarded to an athlete who represents what it means to be a Pioneer — one who embodies passion for their sport, love for their teammates, and overall care for their community.
The 2024 Athletes' Choice Award winner was Hadyn Collie.
In her first season with the Pioneers, Collie helped lead the Pioneers to a historical season, finishing as the National Champion Runner-Up. Collie served as a positive vocal leader on the team and displayed a strong team-first mentality.
The night of celebration ended by honoring the 2023-24 Pioneer student-athletes graduates. They are listed below:
2023-24 Graduates
We are thankful for a historical year of incredible memories and continued commitment to empowering student-athletes through athletics.
"The Oakley's is such a special night," Seaver said. "The room was such high energy! Our SAAC did a great job organizing this beautiful event. It was a celebration of achievement that left everyone inspired and eager for more."
-PIONEERS-
