TSU honors student-athletes and coaches at 2018 Athletics Banquet

Courtesy: TSU Athletics NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) - Tennessee State University's Athletic Department honored its student-athletes and coaches at the annual awards banquet Tuesday night. Former TSU men’s basketball player and Mr. TSU Jordan Gaither served as the master of ceremonies for the event in Kean Hall, with Director of Athletics Teresa Phillips and TSU President Glenda Glover delivering opening remarks. The head coach from each program spoke about their team and presented their award winners. Among the major award winners were track and field senior James Faison, as the Male Athlete of the Year, and women's basketball junior Tia Wooten, as the Female Athlete of the Year. They were voted on by TSU’s athletic administrators and head coaches. Men’s tennis senior Shashank Nautiyal earned the Top Male Academic Excellence Award for the highest GPA among male student-athletes. On the women’s side, the Top Female Academic Excellence Award was shared by Pragati Natraj (tennis) and Abhilasha Vishwanath (tennis). AWARD WINNERS

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

James Faison - Men's Track and Field

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Tia Wooten - Women's Basketball

FOOTBALL

Joe W. Gilliam Defensive Player of the Year - Chris Collins

Eldridge Dickey Offensive Player of the Year - Patrick Smith

Sidney Crutchfield Special Teams Player of the Year - Lane Clark

Richard Dent-Defensive Lineman - Jason Morrow

Vernon Holland Offensive Lineman of the Year - Ty Allen

Alvin “CAT” Coleman Co-Offensive Back of the Year - Sabree Curtis/Seth Rowland

Ed “Too Tall” Jones Most improved Player - Terrence Summers

Fred Lee Spirit Award - Terence Harris

Dominique Rodgers Cromartie (DRC) Defensive Back of the Year - LaQuarius Cook

Heart of a Tiger Courage Award - Arkeem Granger

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MVP - Tia Wooten

Defensive Player of the Year - Asia Sims

Tiger Leadership Award - Maxine Beard

Most Improved Player - Kaliya Griffin

Rookie of the Year - Taylor Roberts

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Anthony Mason Defensive Player of the Year- Christian Mekowulu

Carlos Rogers Most Improved Player- Delano Spencer

Robert Covington Character Award - Tripp Davis

VOLLEYBALL

MVP - Cherlie Adorno-DeJesus

Newcomer of the Year - Rachel Henderson

Setter of the Year - Samantha Beltran

MEN'S TENNIS

MVP - Shashank Nautiyal

WOMEN'S TENNIS

MVP - Pragati Natraj

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

MVP – Larry McNary

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

MVP - Rebekah Wynn

WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

MVP - Angel Horton

MEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Co-MVP – James Faison

Co-MVP –R’Lazon Brumfield

SOFTBALL

MVP - Megan Huppee

SPIRIT TEAM

MVP - Rickia Langston

MEN'S GOLF

MVP - TBA

WOMEN'S GOLF

MVP - TBA

MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

MVP - TBA

WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

MVP - TBA

TOP MALE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD

Shashank Nautiyal - Men's Tennis

TOP FEMALE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD

Pragati Natraj - Women's Tennis

Abhilasha Vishwanath - Women's Tennis

ACADEMIC AWARDS

Samson Oyediran - Men’s Basketball

Maxine Beard - Women’s Basketball

Jemarruse Amos - Men’s Track and Field

Amani Taylor - Women’s Track and Field

Lane Clark - Football

Kody Rendleman - Men’s Golf

Morgan Rood - Women’s Golf

Megan Huppee - Softball

Shashank Nautiyal - Men’s Tennis

Pragati Natraj - Women’s Tennis

Abhilasha Vishwanath - Women’s Tennis

Ani Popiashvili - Women’s Tennis

Cherlie Adorno - DeJesus Volleyball

Asyen Taylor - Spirit Team

FEMALE LIFTER OF THE YEAR

Nicquayleeonntea Moore - Women's Track and Field

MALE LIFTER OF THE YEAR

Chris Rowland - Football

To see photo gallery and video from the banquet, visit http://www.tsutigers.com/news/articles/2017-18/8595/tsu-celebrates-2018-athletics-banquet/   Department of Media Relations Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331 About Tennessee State University With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.