AU Athletics Holds Honors Night

ANDERSON, S.C. - The Anderson University athletic department held its annual Honors Night Tuesday at the Henderson Auditorium on the AU campus. During the event, team awards were handed out along with athletic and academic awards from the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference. All of Anderson's senior student-athletes received individual awards. The winner of the Ed Oxford Memorial Award - Anderson's athlete of the year - was Deidra Langston of the women's basketball team. A special award was given to Keith and Libby Tye, the parents of late volleyball player Laura Leigh Tye, by AU head volleyball coach Jennifer Bell and the volleyball team. The following is a list of team award winners: Men's Cross Country - Golden Guts Award: Jeremy Hunsaker (Gilbert, S.C.); MVP: Nate Parsons (Clifton Springs, N.Y.) Women's Cross Country - Golden Guts Award: Diana Willard (Pelion, S.C.); MVP: Jennifer Hitt (Fountain Inn, S.C.) Men's Soccer - Most Improved: Jack Ward (Easley, S.C.); MVP: Douglas Nyame (Kumasi, Ghana) Women's Soccer - Sportsmanship Award: Rachel Claypool (Easley, S.C.); MVP: Mary Thompson (Lexington, S.C.) Volleyball - Most Valuable Offensive Player: Shaunte' Heyward (Summerville, S.C.); Most Valuable Defensive Player: Maggie Irvin (Spartanburg, S.C.) Men's Basketball - Coach's Award: Alfred Boykin (Atlanta, Ga.); Most Courageous Player: Nolan Gottlieb (Macon, Ga.) Men's JV Basketball - Most Improved Players: Asher Anthes (Stanley, N.C.), Walter Sutherland (Easley, S.C.) Women's Basketball - Heart and Hustle Award: Latrice Thomas (Graniteville, S.C.); MVP: Deidra Langston (Gainesville, Ga.) Wrestling - Thom Hoppler Memorial Award: Nick DiCarlo (Covington, Ga.); Most Outstanding Senior: Dayo Scott (McDonough, Ga.) Baseball - Most Valuable Pitcher: Brandon Sheriff (Belton, S.C.); MVP: Jessie Whiteside (Beaufort, S.C.) Softball - Academic Award: Melissa Carmichael (Dallas, Ga.); Bobby Beville Award: Melissa Waters (Liberty, S.C.) Men's Golf - Coach's Award: Nick Kirby (Columbia, S.C.); MVP: Adam Sheriff (Anderson, S.C.) Women's Golf - Coach's Award: Jenny Odle (Litchfield, Ill.); MVP: Erin May (Anderson, S.C.) Men's Tennis - Coach's Award: Raul Luna (Mallorca, Spain); MVP: Carlos Sanches (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Women's Tennis - Coach's Award: Milena Goncalves (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); MVP: Jessica McDonald (Awendaw, S.C.) Men's Track and Field - Coach's Award: Kipp Chrismer (Pawley's Island, S.C.); MVP: Nate Parsons (Clifton Springs, N.Y.) Women's Track and Field - Coach's Award: Diana Willard (Pelion, S.C.); MVP: Kasey Harold (Pataskala, Ohio) Training Room - Purple Heart: Nick DiCarlo (Covington, Ga.); Iron Horse: Maggie Irvin (Spartanburg, S.C.) Ed Oxford Memorial Award (AU Athlete of the Year) - Deidra Langston (Gainesville, Ga.)