The Department of Athletics hosted the 2021-22 “BESPYs”, the college’s annual Athletic Awards on Monday, April 25 at the Boshamer Gymnasium. It marked the first in-person BESPYs awards banquet since the Spring of 2019.
The BESPYs were presented by the Brevard College Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) with the SAAC Executive Board serving as MC’s and award presenters.
Several major awards were presented to standout student-athletes over the course of the evening in front of an audience of over 450 members of the Brevard College community.
The Ann Etters Award is given annually to the underclassman student-athlete who best displays excellence athletically, academically, and through dedicated service to the BC community. The 2021-22 Ann Etters Award was presented to Makenna Parkins, a sophomore dual-sport Volleyball and Women’s Basketball student-athlete.
The John McKissick Award, presented annually to the most outstanding Football senior student-athlete both on and off the field, was awarded to offensive lineman Justin Parker. The Chuck Dunbar Team Spirit Award was presented to Women’s Lacrosse junior Grace Vaught.
Additional award winners included four-time USA Cycling national champion Tyler Orschel (Cyclist of the Year), Volleyball student-athlete Ashley Hoxit (Female Rookie of the Year) and Baseball student-athlete Cale Oehler (Male Rookie of the Year).
The Perfect Storm awards are given to the most outstanding overall Tornado student-athletes both in sport and in the classroom. Parkins won the Female Perfect Storm Award, while Football and Baseball dual-sport athlete Joc Pledger was named the Male Perfect Storm Award winner.
The Female Athlete of the Year was presented to graduate student Destiny Williams of Women’s Basketball. Brett Burchett, a junior Baseball student-athlete, was named the Male Athlete of the Year.
The inaugural David and Lynne Joyce Award was presented to senior Adam Spencer of Men’s Soccer. The award is presented to the graduating senior student-athlete who displays superior performance in competition, in the classroom and in the community over an entire four-year career at Brevard College.
The Women’s Lacrosse team recaptured the Tornado Cup, given to the team that accumulates the most points in the Tornado Cup Challenge with the components of Academic Excellence, Athletic Excellence, Personal Development, Community Service and Athletes Supporting Athletes.
The Softball team earned the Highest Team GPA with the highest cumulative grade point average amongst BC’s athletic teams.
Brevard College Associate Dean of Students Dee Dasburg, who is retiring after 28 years of service at the college, was honored with a special presentation by the BC Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs as well as the Football team.
The event concluded with a presentation to Bradley J Andrews, 14th President of Brevard College, and Trish Andrews as an official welcome to “NadoNation”.
As part of the program, BC graduating senior student-athletes received their senior gifts and graduates with a GPA of 3.0 or higher also received a scholar-athlete graduation stole to be worn at the upcoming Brevard College Commencement.
In addition to the major Brevard College awards, a plethora of conference and national awards were also handed out to the Tornado student-athletes.
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SAAC Executive Board
Jack Atkinson, Baseball – President
JaMarcus Walker, Men’s Tennis – Vice President
Amanda Lacey, Cheerleading – Secretary
Peter Fumero, Baseball – Community Engagement
Kaitlyn Light, Women’s Basketball – Marketing Coordinator
2021-22 Brevard College Athletics Awards
Tornado Cup – Women’s Lacrosse
Highest Team GPA Award – Softball
Ann Etters Excellence Award – Makenna Parkins, Volleyball/Women’s Basketball
John McKissick Award – Justin Parker, Football
Chuck Dunbar Team Spirit Award – Grace Vaught, Women’s Lacrosse
Female Rookie of the Year – Ashley Hoxit, Volleyball
Male Rookie of the Year – Cale Oehler, Baseball
Cyclist of the Year – Tyler Orschel
Female Perfect Storm Award – Makenna Parkins, Volleyball/Women’s Basketball
Male Perfect Storm Award – Joc Pledger, Baseball
Female Athlete of the Year – Destiny Williams, Women’s Basketball
Male Athlete of the Year – Blake Burchett, Baseball
David and Lynne Joyce Legacy Award – Adam Spencer, Men’s Soccer
Conference/National Awards (as of 4/29/22)
Cross Country
Devon Brodmyer, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Dalton Hawley, USA South All-Conference Second Team
Haylea-Layne Miller, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Garrett Spangler, USA South All-Conference Third Team
George Wells, USA South All-Conference Third Team
Cycling
Madison Altman, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Bryant Bole, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Jack Brown, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Owen Clark, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Tyler Clark, USA Cycling Individual National Champion
Tyler Clark, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Finn Cullen, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Paige Edwards, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Gunnar Ensign, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Philip Ford, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Michaela Gray, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Erica Leonard, USA Cycling Individual National Champion
Erica Leonard, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Nina Machnowski, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Kyle McDonald, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Tyler Orschel, USA Cycling Individual National Champion (4-time)
Rachel Pageau, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Landon Perlman, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Cole Punchard, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Matthew Zuniga, USA Cycling Academic All-Star
Football
Luis Alvarez, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Geoff Banning, D3football.com Team of the Week
Jerome Bass, D3football.com All-Region 3 Third Team
Jerome Bass, Cliff Harris Award Nominee
Jerome Bass, USA South All-Conference First Team
Steffon Canady, Defensive Player of the Week (2-time)
Steffon Canady, D3football.com Team of the Week
Steffon Canady, D3football.com Team of the Week
Steffon Canady, D3football.com All-Region 3 Second Team
Steffon Canady, Cliff Harris Award Nominee
Steffon Canady, USA South Defensive Player of the Year
Steffon Canady, USA South All-Conference First Team
Stamati Damalos, USA South Special Teams Player of the Week (2-time)
Stamati Damalos, D3football.com Team of the Week
Stamati Damalos, D3football.com All-Region 3 Third Team
Stamati Damalos, USA South All-Conference First Team
Taylor Jackson III, USA South Offensive Player of the Week
Wyatt Lankford, D3football.com Team of the Week
Toby Naylor, USA South Defensive Player of the Week
Toby Naylor, USA South All-Conference Second Team
Brandon Norris, USA South All-Conference Second Team
Jaden O’Leary, D3football.com Team of the Week
Justin Parker, CoSIDA Academic All-District
Joc Pledger, D3football.com Team of the Week
Brandon Unangst, USA South All-Conference First Team
Mitchell Yoder, USA South All-Conference Second Team
Men’s Soccer
Estevan Berto, NCCSIA All-State Second Team
Estevan Berto, USA South West Division Second Team
Thiago Leopardi, USA South Defender of the Week
Ryan Lynch, Brevard, USA South West Division Second Team
Sam O’Callaghan, United Soccer Coaches All-Region VI Third Team
Sam O’Callaghan, NCCSIA All-State First Team
Sam O’Callaghan, USA South West Division First Team
Sam O’Callaghan, USA South All-Conference First Team
Adam Spencer, NCCSIA All-State Second Team
Adam Spencer, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Adam Spencer, USA South West Division Second Team
Women’s Soccer
Lena Hatter, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Sallie Riggan, USA South Second Team West Division
Abbie Worsencroft, NCCSIA All-State First Team
Volleyball
Ashley Hoxit, USA South West Division Second Team
Abbey Duncan, USA South All-Sportsmanship
Kaitlyn Pressley, NCCSIA All-State Second Team
Kaitlyn Pressley, USA South West Division Second Team
Women’s Basketball
Avery Lockwood, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Aysha Short, USA South Rookie of the Week
Destiny Williams, Women’s Basketball, USA South Player of the Week
Destiny Williams, USA South West Division First Team
Men’s Basketball
LB Boyette, USA South West Division Second Team
Hayden Cassell, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Garrett Sutherland USA South Rookie of the Week
Baseball
Jason Jucker, D3baseball.com Team of the Week
Cale Oehler, USA South Rookie of the Week (3time)
Matthew Scavotto, USA South Pitcher of the Week
Frankie Vasquez, USA South Rookie of the Week (4-time)
Noah Webb, USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Men’s Lacrosse
Jacob Gravely, USA South Defensive Player of the Week
Devin McCarragher, USA South Defensive Player of the Week
Women’s Lacrosse
Meredith Brown, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
KC Collins, USA South Player of the Week
Emily Denaga, USA South Rookie of the Week
Lexi Maclauchlin, USA South Defensive Player of the Week
Softball
Sara Barnes, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Abby Delp, USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Mikayla Morgan, USA South West Division Second Team
Emily White, USA South All-Conference First Team
Emily White, USA South West Division First Team
Men’s Tennis
Alex Glaze, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Ethan McGee, USA South Player of the Week
Ethan McGee, USA South West Division First Team
Women’s Tennis
Brooke Garland, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Alli Kogoy, USA South West Division Second Team
Sophie Trantham, USA South Rookie of the Week
Sophie Trantham, USA South West Division Second Team
Track & Field
Channing Barker, USA South Track Rookie of the Week
Channing Barker, USA South All-Conference Third Team performance
Jerome Bass, USA South Field Athlete of the Week
Jerome Bass, USA South All-Conference First Team performance
Jerome Bass, USA South All-Conference Second Team performance
Zoe Capps, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
RJ Everett, USA South All-Sportsmanship Team
Haylea-Layne Miller, USA South All-Conference First Team performance
Haylea-Layne Miller, USA South All-Conference Third Team performance
Garrett Spangler, USA South All-Conference Third Team performance
George Wells, USA South All-Conference Third Team performance