University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville Athletics Holds Annual ASHPYS Awards Celebration
04.30.2017 | General
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville athletics department held its annual ASHPYS awards celebration on Monday, May 1, 2017.
The 2017 ASHPYS hosted by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) were held on the floor of Kimmel Arena with the event starting with a dinner for UNC Asheville student-athletes before the awards celebration.
"What a great night this was to celebrate what has been a tremendous 2016-17 athletic year," UNC Asheville Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone, who had an award officially renamed in her honor on the evening, said. "We always talk about the Pursuit of Greatness here at UNC Asheville and our Bulldogs truly embody what it means to be an NCAA student-athlete. I am so proud of what has taken place this year and what is ahead in the future."
2016-17 ASHPYS Winners
Janet R. Cone Bulldog Service and Leadership Award Winner – Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Nominees: Hunter Hall (Women's Tennis), Reid Jackson (Women's Swimming) and Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Female Big Dog Award Winner – Chatori Major (Women's Basketball)
Nominees: Chatori Major (Women's Basketball), Kayli Nichols (Women's Track and Field) and Morgan Rulevich (Women's Swimming)
Male Big Dog Award Winner – Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Nominees: Matthew Harding (Men's Track and Field), Henry Patten (Men's Tennis) and Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Scholar-Athletes of the Year By Sport:
Baseball – Jesse Juday
Women's Basketball – Alexis Toney
Men's Basketball – Giacomo Zilli
Women's Cross Country – Amy Castle
Men's Cross Country – Zach Boone
Women's Golf – Rebecca Black
Women's Soccer – Maura Coolbaugh
Men's Soccer – Andrew Lawrence
Women's Swimming – Carly Emerson
Women's Tennis – Caroline Sherrer
Men's Tennis – Andrew Sinai
Women's Track and Field – Argia Gibson
Men's Track and Field – Chase Stevens
Volleyball – Carter Kennedy
Bulldog Award Winners
Men's Cross Country – Dominic Collichio
Women's Cross Country – Sarah Heisner
Men's Soccer – Zachary Compton
Women's Soccer – Ellie Stone
Volleyball – Cara Guthrie
Women's Swimming – Stephanie Smith
Men's Basketball – Will Weeks
Women's Basketball – KJ Weaver
Women's Golf – Adelyn Deery
Men's Track and Field – Matthew Harding
Women's Track and Field – Kayli Nichols
Men's Tennis – Henry Patten
Women's Tennis – Kylee Shipley
Baseball – Joe Tietjen
George A. Christenberry Award Nominees from UNC Asheville – Giacomo Zilli (Men's Basketball) and Caroline Sherrer (Women's Tennis)
Spirit of the Bulldog Award Winners:
GameDay Band – Madeleine Wiggins
Cheer and Dance – Megan Powell
Coach of the Year Award Winner – Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (Women's Basketball)
Nominees: Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (Women's Basketball), Elizabeth Lykins (Women's Swimming) and Nick McDevitt (Men's Basketball)
NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees for UNC Asheville – Chatori Major (Women's Basketball), Sarah Heisner (Women's Cross Country) and Reid Jackson (Women's Swimming)
Male Freshman of the Year Award Winner – MaCio Teague (Men's Basketball)
Nominees: Brandon Lankford (Baseball), MaCio Teague (Men's Basketball) and Matthew Harding (Men's Cross Country and Track and Field)
Female Freshman of the Year Award Winner – Lauren Watson-Steele (Women's Tennis)
Nominees: Desire Brown (Women's Track and Field), Skylar Rogan (Women's Swimming), Zip Scott (Women's Basketball) and Lauren Watson-Steele (Women's Tennis)
Record-Breaking Performance Award Co-Winners – Henry Patten (Men's Tennis) and Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Nominees: Matthew Harding (Men's Cross Country and Track and Field), Henry Patten (Men's Tennis), Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball) and Entire Freshman Class (Women's Swimming)
Spotlight Award Winner – Women's Basketball winning Big South Tournament title
Nominees: Men's Basketball double overtime win over Winthrop, Dominic Collichio of men's cross country being the first All-Conference team member since 2007 at the 2016 Big South Cross Country Championship, Morgan Rulevich of women's swimming reaching the podium at the CCSA Championships again and women's basketball winning the Big South Tournament title for the second straight year by winning four games in four days as the seventh seed
Best Fan Award Winner – Men's Ultimate Frisbee Team
Nominees: Elijah Roberts, Smythe Lewis, Women's Soccer head coach Michelle Demko and Men's Ultimate Frisbee Team
Clutch Performance Award Winner – MaCio Teague of men's basketball with his long-range three-pointer to send game to overtime into eventual double overtime win over Winthrop
Nominees: Bronaza Fitzgerald of women's basketball for her overall performance at the Big South Conference Championships, Morgan Rulevich of women's swimming for her performance at the CCSA Championships, Emily Sidor of women's tennis for clinching their conference match against Campbell and MaCio Teague of men's basketball with his long-range three-pointer to send game to overtime into eventual double overtime win over Winthrop
Best Postgame Celebration Award Winner – Men's basketball with UNC Asheville fans and students after double overtime win over Winthrop
Nominees: Women's basketball after winning back-to-back Big South Tournament titles, Zach Joens of men's soccer for running up the hill after scoring in the overtime win over Longwood and men's Bbsketball with UNC Asheville fans and students after double overtime win over Winthrop
Mike Gore Service Award Winner – Judith Bohan (Business and Finance Manager)
Nominees: Mathes Mennell (Men's Soccer Head Coach) and Rebecca Nelms (Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Services)
Male Student-Athlete of the Year Award Winner – Henry Patten (Men's Tennis)
Nominees: Henry Patten (Men's Tennis), Kevin Vannatta (Men's Basketball) and Giacomo Zilli (Men's Basketball
Women's Student-Athlete of the Year Award Winner – Chatori Major (Women's Basketball)
Nominees: Reid Jackson (Women's Swimming), Chatori Major (Women's Basketball) and KJ Weaver (Women's Basketball)
**Photo by Adrian Etheridge is of 2017 UNC Asheville senior student-athletes after receiving their cords at this year's ASHPYS**
The 2017 ASHPYS hosted by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) were held on the floor of Kimmel Arena with the event starting with a dinner for UNC Asheville student-athletes before the awards celebration.
"What a great night this was to celebrate what has been a tremendous 2016-17 athletic year," UNC Asheville Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone, who had an award officially renamed in her honor on the evening, said. "We always talk about the Pursuit of Greatness here at UNC Asheville and our Bulldogs truly embody what it means to be an NCAA student-athlete. I am so proud of what has taken place this year and what is ahead in the future."
2016-17 ASHPYS Winners
Janet R. Cone Bulldog Service and Leadership Award Winner – Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Nominees: Hunter Hall (Women's Tennis), Reid Jackson (Women's Swimming) and Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Female Big Dog Award Winner – Chatori Major (Women's Basketball)
Nominees: Chatori Major (Women's Basketball), Kayli Nichols (Women's Track and Field) and Morgan Rulevich (Women's Swimming)
Male Big Dog Award Winner – Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Nominees: Matthew Harding (Men's Track and Field), Henry Patten (Men's Tennis) and Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Scholar-Athletes of the Year By Sport:
Baseball – Jesse Juday
Women's Basketball – Alexis Toney
Men's Basketball – Giacomo Zilli
Women's Cross Country – Amy Castle
Men's Cross Country – Zach Boone
Women's Golf – Rebecca Black
Women's Soccer – Maura Coolbaugh
Men's Soccer – Andrew Lawrence
Women's Swimming – Carly Emerson
Women's Tennis – Caroline Sherrer
Men's Tennis – Andrew Sinai
Women's Track and Field – Argia Gibson
Men's Track and Field – Chase Stevens
Volleyball – Carter Kennedy
Bulldog Award Winners
Men's Cross Country – Dominic Collichio
Women's Cross Country – Sarah Heisner
Men's Soccer – Zachary Compton
Women's Soccer – Ellie Stone
Volleyball – Cara Guthrie
Women's Swimming – Stephanie Smith
Men's Basketball – Will Weeks
Women's Basketball – KJ Weaver
Women's Golf – Adelyn Deery
Men's Track and Field – Matthew Harding
Women's Track and Field – Kayli Nichols
Men's Tennis – Henry Patten
Women's Tennis – Kylee Shipley
Baseball – Joe Tietjen
George A. Christenberry Award Nominees from UNC Asheville – Giacomo Zilli (Men's Basketball) and Caroline Sherrer (Women's Tennis)
Spirit of the Bulldog Award Winners:
GameDay Band – Madeleine Wiggins
Cheer and Dance – Megan Powell
Coach of the Year Award Winner – Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (Women's Basketball)
Nominees: Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (Women's Basketball), Elizabeth Lykins (Women's Swimming) and Nick McDevitt (Men's Basketball)
NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees for UNC Asheville – Chatori Major (Women's Basketball), Sarah Heisner (Women's Cross Country) and Reid Jackson (Women's Swimming)
Male Freshman of the Year Award Winner – MaCio Teague (Men's Basketball)
Nominees: Brandon Lankford (Baseball), MaCio Teague (Men's Basketball) and Matthew Harding (Men's Cross Country and Track and Field)
Female Freshman of the Year Award Winner – Lauren Watson-Steele (Women's Tennis)
Nominees: Desire Brown (Women's Track and Field), Skylar Rogan (Women's Swimming), Zip Scott (Women's Basketball) and Lauren Watson-Steele (Women's Tennis)
Record-Breaking Performance Award Co-Winners – Henry Patten (Men's Tennis) and Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball)
Nominees: Matthew Harding (Men's Cross Country and Track and Field), Henry Patten (Men's Tennis), Ahmad Thomas (Men's Basketball) and Entire Freshman Class (Women's Swimming)
Spotlight Award Winner – Women's Basketball winning Big South Tournament title
Nominees: Men's Basketball double overtime win over Winthrop, Dominic Collichio of men's cross country being the first All-Conference team member since 2007 at the 2016 Big South Cross Country Championship, Morgan Rulevich of women's swimming reaching the podium at the CCSA Championships again and women's basketball winning the Big South Tournament title for the second straight year by winning four games in four days as the seventh seed
Best Fan Award Winner – Men's Ultimate Frisbee Team
Nominees: Elijah Roberts, Smythe Lewis, Women's Soccer head coach Michelle Demko and Men's Ultimate Frisbee Team
Clutch Performance Award Winner – MaCio Teague of men's basketball with his long-range three-pointer to send game to overtime into eventual double overtime win over Winthrop
Nominees: Bronaza Fitzgerald of women's basketball for her overall performance at the Big South Conference Championships, Morgan Rulevich of women's swimming for her performance at the CCSA Championships, Emily Sidor of women's tennis for clinching their conference match against Campbell and MaCio Teague of men's basketball with his long-range three-pointer to send game to overtime into eventual double overtime win over Winthrop
Best Postgame Celebration Award Winner – Men's basketball with UNC Asheville fans and students after double overtime win over Winthrop
Nominees: Women's basketball after winning back-to-back Big South Tournament titles, Zach Joens of men's soccer for running up the hill after scoring in the overtime win over Longwood and men's Bbsketball with UNC Asheville fans and students after double overtime win over Winthrop
Mike Gore Service Award Winner – Judith Bohan (Business and Finance Manager)
Nominees: Mathes Mennell (Men's Soccer Head Coach) and Rebecca Nelms (Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Services)
Male Student-Athlete of the Year Award Winner – Henry Patten (Men's Tennis)
Nominees: Henry Patten (Men's Tennis), Kevin Vannatta (Men's Basketball) and Giacomo Zilli (Men's Basketball
Women's Student-Athlete of the Year Award Winner – Chatori Major (Women's Basketball)
Nominees: Reid Jackson (Women's Swimming), Chatori Major (Women's Basketball) and KJ Weaver (Women's Basketball)
**Photo by Adrian Etheridge is of 2017 UNC Asheville senior student-athletes after receiving their cords at this year's ASHPYS**
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
Distance
/ Cross Country
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Cross Country
Distance
/ Cross Country
D
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
/ Women's Golf
Fly/IM/Breast
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
C
/ Women's Basketball
Sprints
/ Track and Field
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Tennis
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Cross Country
Back/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
F
/ Men's Soccer
RHP
/ Baseball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
INF
/ Baseball
MF
/ Men's Soccer
G
/ Women's Basketball
Sprints
/ Track and Field
/ Men's Tennis
Fly/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Breast/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
G
/ Women's Basketball
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
Back/IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Sprints
/ Track and Field
MF
/ Women's Soccer
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
OF
/ Baseball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
/ Women's Tennis
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballThursday, June 18
Wednesday, March 18
Wednesday, March 11
Friday, February 06