FARMVILLE, Va. – Highlighted by Henry I. Willett Scholar-Athlete Award winners Gina D'Orazio and Clayton Forren, Longwood Athletes of the Year Dan Campos and Edel Nyland, and Jimmy M. Yarbrouogh Inspiration Award winner Jessica O'Bryant, the Longwood athletics department announced its 2016-17 award winners at the annual Student Athlete Awards Banquet Thursday night in the Lee Grand Room in Dorrill Dining Hall.
 
Student-athletes from four different Longwood athletics programs shared the department's three marquee awards, with women's soccer senior D'Orazio and men's golf senior Forren taking home the prestigious Willett Award for their outstanding sport contributions and exceptional academic achievements during the 2016-17 academic year.
 
Meanwhile, men's soccer junior Campos and field hockey junior Nyland shared the Longwood Athlete of the Year Award for their athletic performances this past season, and women's soccer senior O'Bryant received the Yarbrough Inspiration Award for her unprecedented service to provide educational opportunities to young people.
 
The evening featured an hour-and-a-half formal banquet that brought together the more than 200 student-athletes from Longwood's 14 athletics programs, coaches and administrators, friends of the programs, and prominent figures from Longwood University, including President W. Taylor Reveley, Longwood Hall of Fame coaches Dr. Barbara Smith and Shirley Duncan, and members of Longwood's faculty.
 
Also among that group was Dr. Jes Simmons, Longwood lecturer of composition and rhetoric, who was honored with the Roy Nunnally Special Recognition Award for her commitment to the success of student-athletes, coaches and staff, both on and off the playing field.
 
The banquet, introduced by Longwood athletics director Troy Austin and hosted by assistant athletics director for development Trey Eggleston, featured presentation of the department's numerous awards, comments from President Reveley, a highlight video produced by Longwood senior Christian Fox, a slideshow of a season's worth of photos taken by Longwood photographer Mike Kropf, the announcement of the student-athlete-selected senior superlatives, a special senior appreciation speech from assistant director of academic services and cheerleading coach Megan Miller, and dinner provided by Aramark.
 
Criteria for the annual awards ranged from student-athlete athletic performance to academic success and exemplary contributions by Longwood faculty and staff.
 
D'Orazio and Forren shared the prestigious Willett Scholar-Athlete Award, which recognizes the student-athletes who excel both on the field and in the classroom. D'Orazio was a four-year starter on the women's soccer team who started 74 games and played nearly 5,000 minutes during her career and maintained a 3.87 GPA as a psychology major. Forren, meanwhile, was a four-year contributor on the men's golf team while maintaining a 3.54 GPA as a business administration major.
 
Campos and Nyland were among their sports' top 10 in the nation, with Campos leading the NCAA with 12 assists and Nyland ranking fourth with 1.06 goals per game. Campos' Big South-leading 12 helpers, and a complementary four goals, powered the Lancers to a trip to the Big South Championship game after the No. 6 seed Lancers upset both No. 3 seed UNC Asheville and No. 2 seed High Point to move on to a championship showdown against No. 1 seed Radford that the Highlanders narrowly won, 1-0. Earlier this season, LongwoodLancers.com detailed Campos' outstanding play alongside fellow midfielder and All-Big South selection Finnlay Wyatt here: http://www.longwoodlancers.com/news/2016/11/8/mens-soccer-dynamic-midfield-duo-leading-lancers-in-tourney.aspx?path=msoc
 
Nyland enjoyed a breakout junior campaign, leading the Mid-American Conference and ranking among the top 10 in the NCAA in both goals and points per game. Her performance made Longwood the top goal-scoring team in the MAC and pushed the Lancers to a historic season that included a third-place finish in the MAC standings and the program's first trip to the MAC postseason.
 
O'Bryant joined a prestigious club when she was honored with the Yarbrough Inspiration Award for her work throughout her four-year career as a Lancer. The former women's soccer walk-on ascended to captaincy in the program by her senior year, starting 27 games over her final two seasons after playing in just 11 in her first two years. Beyond her work as a lockdown piece of Longwood's backfield, O'Bryant dedicated her time at Longwood to preparing herself for a career in special education, drawing her own inspiration from her autistic brother, Austin. Jessica's commitment to bettering the realm of public education in schools was profiled by LongwoodLancers.com here: http://www.longwoodlancers.com/news/2015/10/30/WSOC_1030155513.aspx.
 
Simmons' Nunnally Award was one of three staff awards handed out Thursday, the other two of which were chosen by Longwood's Student Athlete Advisory Committee and presented by SAAC President Jenna Tomayko and Vice President Rosen Ilchev. That group presented the SAAC A.C.E.S. Award to assistant director of sports performance Tyler Wrenn for his efforts to enhance student-athlete welfare and experience, alongside his integrity, dedication, advocacy, leadership, motivation, fairness and enthusiasm for Longwood's student-athletes.
 
The SAAC Coach of the Year went to 2017 Big South Men's Tennis Coach of the Year Pierre Tafelski, who repeated as the SAAC winner after leading the men's tennis team to a historic season that featured the most wins and highest winning percentage in program history, and a program-best fourth-place finish in the Big South standings in just his second year heading the program. Earlier this season, LongwoodLancers.com detailed the turnaround of the program that has taken place in just two years under Tafelski here: http://www.longwoodlancers.com/news/2017/3/17/to-build-a-program-mens-tennis-in-midst-of-breakout-season.aspx.
 
Big South Men's Tennis Freshman of the Year Amadeo Blasco and Big South Women's Lacrosse All-Conference first team selection Molly Barkman won the Longwood Freshman Athlete of the Year awards for their standout performances in their first seasons as Lancers. Blasco was a key cog in leading Longwood men's tennis to a historic 2017 season and a program-record fourth-place finish in the Big South standings, amassing a 16-4 singles record and a 16-4 doubles record atop the Lancer lineup. Barkman became the first Longwood freshman to earn all-conference first-team honors since Longwood joined the Big South five years ago, doing so on the strength of a 17-start regular season in which she scored 25 goals, dished 18 assists and totaled 38 ground balls, 22 caused turnovers and a team-high 86 draw controls.
 
On the academic front, Longwood men's golf received a pair of Cormier Awards for Team Academic Excellence after putting together the highest grade point averages of Longwood's men's teams for both the fall 2016 and spring 2016 semesters. That marked the fourth straight semester the program, under 20th-year head coach Kevin Fillman, has earned the Cormier Award, and the seventh time in the past eight semesters.
 
Women's soccer and women's golf earned the women's Cormier Awards for the fall and spring 2016 semesters, both doing so semesters in their respective competition seasons. Women's soccer, under 23rd-year head coach Todd Dyer, earned that award for the fourth straight semester, while women's golf, under third-year head coach Shannon Briggs, added theirs to a mantle that also included the 2014 spring edition of the award.
 
Field hockey senior Lauren Bernard and Campos earned academic recognition as well, earning the department's Academic PRIDE Award for their commitment and work ethic toward accomplishing their academic pursuits. That award, selected by the Longwood athletics office of student-athlete advancement, does not give regard to GPA or other numeric qualifications, but focuses on the student-athlete's effort, attitude, perseverance and respect.
 
Longwood director of marketing and fan engagement Steve Robertson introduced two new awards this year as part of the LancerSTRONG Challenge Cup, a year-long competition between Longwood's athletics programs that awards points based on student-athlete and team participation in community service, professional development and support of other athletics programs. The women's tennis team, under first-year head coach Maria Lopez, took home the LancerSTRONG Challenge Cup, besting second-place finisher women's lacrosse and third-place finisher men's tennis. Women's lacrosse senior Madelynn Rollins received the Most Outstanding Lancer Award for putting in more than 700 hours by herself during the competition.
 
2016-17 Longwood Student Athlete Awards Banquet Winners
 
SAAC A.C.E.S. Award
Tyler Wrenn, Assistant Director of Sports Performance
 
SAAC Coach of the Year
Pierre Tafelski, Men's Tennis
 
Roy Nunnally Special Recognition Award
Dr. Jes Simmons, Lecturer of Composition and Rhetoric, English & Modern Languages
 
Academic PRIDE Award
Lauren Bernard, Field Hockey
Dan Campos, Men's Soccer
 
Longwood All-Academic Team
Field Hockey, Coaching Staff
Ian Walker, Athletic Training
Carlos Garrido, Baseball
Isaac Belton, Men's Basketball
Kate Spradlin, Women's Basketball
Tatianna Griffin, Cheerleading
John Bapties, Men's Cross Country
Erica Mawyer, Women's Cross Country
Brenna Kinzel, Field Hockey
Jordan Boulton, Men's Golf
Crystina Kertsos, Women's Golf
Stephanie Roberts, Women's Lacrosse
Paige Robertson, Women's Soccer
Zach Morgan, Men's Soccer
Jessica Smith, Softball
Mason Thomas, Women's Tennis
Florian Uffer, Men's Tennis
 
Cormier Award for Team Academic Excellence
Men's Golf (Spring, 2016)
Men's Golf (Fall, 2016)
Women's Golf (Spring, 2016)
Women's Soccer (Fall, 2016)
 
Freshman Athlete of the Year
Molly Barkman, Women's Lacrosse
Amadeo Blasco, Men's Tennis
 
Jimmy M. Yarbrough Inspiration Award
Jessica O'Bryant, Women's Soccer
 
Athlete of the Year
Dan Campos, Men's Soccer
Edel Nyland, Field Hockey
 
Henry I. Willett Scholar-Athlete Award
Gina D'Orazio, Women's Soccer
Clayton Forren, Men's Golf
 
LancerSTRONG Challenge Cup
Women's Tennis
 
LancerSTRONG Most Outstanding Lancer Award
Madelynn Rollins, Women's Lacrosse
 
Longwood Scholar-Athletes
Lil-Sophie Achterwinter, Field Hockey
Paige Ackman, Women's Soccer
Kelly Almeida, Women's Soccer
Devin Anderson, Cheerleading
Justina Augustine, Softball
Arthur Bardellotto, Men's Tennis
Claire Belcher, Cheerleading
Cody Bell, Men's Soccer
Amadeo Blasco, Men's Tennis
Annie Boros, Women's Soccer
Jordan Boulton, Men's Golf
Jamie Breunig, Women's Tennis
Anna Bultrowicz, Women's Cross Country
Corri Calandra, Women's Lacrosse
Dan Campos, Men's Soccer
Jenna Carnes, Softball
Michael Catlin, Baseball
Jordan Chapman, Field Hockey
Jasmine Clark, Cheerleading
Kate Colley, Field Hockey
Nick Contini, Men's Golf
Andrew Corbitt, Baseball
Zach Corcoran, Men's Soccer
Caius Covrig, Men's Basketball
Gina D'Orazio, Women's Soccer
Andie deCelis, Women's Lacrosse
Chelsea DiIonno, Women's Lacrosse
Riley Dolan, Women's Lacrosse
Erin Dwinell, Women's Soccer
Micaela Ellis, Women's Basketball
Dominic Ezeani, Men's Basketball
Julian Farthing, Men's Tennis
Wesley Figg, Cheerleading
Clayton Forren, Men's Golf
Evan Fowler, Men's Soccer
Vaughn Fowler, Men's Soccer
Teresa Fruchterman, Women's Soccer
Carlos Garrido, Baseball
Patrick Gobran, Men's Golf
Tatianna Griffin, Cheerleading
Sepehr Harandi, Men's Soccer
Eric Harp, Baseball
David Hay, Men's Soccer
Kyra Horlock, Women's Golf
Jordan Howard, Women's Lacrosse
Christina Hutchins, Cheerleading
Rosen Ilchev, Men's Tennis
Rebecca Jefferson, Cheerleading
Dana Joss, Women's Lacrosse
Sarah Kasko, Women's Cross Country
Brianna Kelly, Women's Lacrosse
Crystina Kertsos, Women's Golf
Brenna Kinzel, Field Hockey
Maria Kirby, Women's Soccer
Charleigh Kondas, Women's Lacrosse
Chad Kozoyed, Men's Soccer
Mitchell Kuebbing, Baseball
Emilie Kupsov, Women's Soccer
Halle Lahammer, Women's Soccer
Kourtney Landis, Field Hockey
Alex Lewis, Baseball
Maeve Losen, Field Hockey
Kaitlin Luccarelli, Women's Lacrosse
Lindsey Lysher, Field Hockey
Sherif Maalouf, Men's Soccer
Lachlan Manser, Men's Tennis
Erica Mawyer, Women's Cross Country
Marc Mawyer, Men's Cross Country
Jawan McAllister, Baseball
Jayden Metzger, Women's Soccer
Kathryn Miller, Women's Soccer
Sammy Miller, Baseball
Macey Mills, Women's Golf
Zach Morgan, Men's Soccer
Lorissa Morton, Field Hockey
Edel Nyland, Field Hockey
Emily Nylen, Women's Basketball
Jessica O'Bryant, Women's Soccer
Olivia O'Connor, Women's Soccer
Laura O'Toole, Women's Lacrosse
Marten Pajunurm, Men's Soccer
Haleigh Pannell, Women's Lacrosse
Halle Parker, Women's Soccer
Anna Pelak, Women's Tennis
Kayla Penner, Cheerleading
Jon Peterson, Baseball
Gracie Piekarski, Women's Cross Country
Zach Potojecki, Baseball
Janese Quick, Women's Soccer
Chase Quinn, Men's Soccer
Abbey Ripley, Field Hockey
Stephanie Roberts, Women's Lacrosse
Paige Robertson, Women's Soccer
Ellen Ross, Field Hockey
Jessica Sanfilippo, Women's Lacrosse
Ryan Shull, Baseball
Erica Sieben, Women's Soccer
Jessica Smith, Softball
Amanda Spencer, Women's Soccer
Kate Spradlin, Women's Basketball
Madison Stair, Women's Lacrosse
Teagan Stephenson, Men's Golf
Sheyenne Stretz, Women's Soccer
Kelsey Sweeney, Softball
Adam Szwed, Men's Golf
Mason Thomas, Women's Tennis
Courtney Tolton, Women's Golf
Jenna Tomayko, Women's Soccer
Katherine Triebsch, Cheerleading
Florian Uffer, Men's Tennis
Leonie Verstraete, Field Hockey
Jovana Vukovic, Women's Basketball
Cody Wager, Baseball
Alex Waite, Men's Soccer
Elizabeth Walker, Cheerleading
Sydney Wallace, Women's Soccer
Brandon Weaver, Men's Golf
Miranda Wilson, Women's Cross Country
Madison Winters, Women's Cross Country
Tyler Wirsu, Baseball
Katie Wyman, Field Hockey
 
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