ACU Celebrates Wildcat Choice Awards

ABILENE – Several Abilene Christian University teams and student-athletes received awards based on academics, community service, character and athletic prowess at the Wildcat Choice Awards Wednesday at the Paramount.
 
Jamal January of men's track and field and Payton Kirk of women's track and field received the Hudson Wade Fighting Heart Award, presented to two student-athletes considered to be great teammates and competitors for maintaining a strong work ethic and positive attitude.
 
Football's Reese Young and volleyball's Ashli Edmiston were voted Freshman of the Year, awards presented to freshmen who made an immediate impact during their first year at ACU.
 
Similar to the freshman award, the Newcomer of the Year is presented to transfer students who made an immediate impact and the recipients were Logan Britt of baseball and Maleeah Langstaff of women's basketball.
 
The Top Academic Achievement Award, presented to Gabe Embree of men's cross country and Maryjoe Crisologo of women's tennis, goes to the student-athletes with outstanding academic achievements who are in the junior or senior year of their undergraduate program.
 
Volleyball won the Highest Team GPA Award at 3.67, covering the last two completed semesters.
 
ACU Sports Medicine presented the Comeback Athlete of the Year awards to Breck Eichelberger of baseball and Addison Martin of women's basketball. The award is for a student-athlete who overcame an injury to successfully return to their sport. This is limited to student-athletes who endured a season-ending injury during the prior season.
 
Presented by the strength and conditioning staff to one male and one female student-athlete who best exemplify the tenants of accountability, work ethic, positive energy and constant improvement receives the Iron Cat Award. The award this year went to Jermiah Dobbins of football and Avery Miloch of softball.
 
Support Staff Member of the Year, presented to one departmental staff member from Academics, Compliance, Marketing, Media Relations, Sports Medicine, Strength & Conditioning, or any other support area who has gone above and beyond their responsibilities for the year in supporting the student-athletes and programs, went to Brooke Nichols in business.
 
Cheerleading Spirit Leader of the Year was presented to Gabriela Garcia. The Pom Squad Showmanship Award went to Hailey Anderson.
 
The Community Service Award went to baseball while the Purple White Pride Award for showing support to fellow programs went to men's golf.

The Play of the Year Award was presented to Madi Miller and Aspen Thornton for their double buzzer-beaters in the first half of the women's basketball victory over Texas-Arlington.
 
Baseball won the Best Team Performance award for their walk-off victory over the University of Oklahoma at Globe Life Park.
 
Kobe Clark, who had 64 receptions for 768 yards and eight touchdowns, received the men's Paul Goad Award for top athlete of the year.
 
Ella Anttila of women's track, who set the school record, won the WAC crown and became ACU's first NCAA Indoor qualifier in the triple jump, won the Paul Goad Award for women's athletics.
 
Anttila also won the Horizon Award, presented to a student-athlete whose single-season efforts result in noteworthy career achievements.
 
The Wildcat Club Student-Athlete of the Year, presented to student-athletes who encompass ACU's mission for excellence in Christ through athletics, academics, service, and faith was presented to Immanuel Allen of men's basketball and Macie Stephens of women's soccer. The award is sponsored by Learfield.
 
Additionally, each team presented a superlative award to one of its members. Those winners were Jose Maria Rastrojo of men's tennis (the Oscar), Miranda "Randi" Davila of softball (Mom of the team), Neal Helgerson of men's track and field (Comedian), Max Huffling of baseball (Baseball Mayor of ACU), Muodubem Muoneke of men's basketball (Best Hidden Talent), Bella Evans of women's cross country (Most Likely to be Tik Tok Famous), Bryley Steinhilber of volleyball (Early Bird), Jaime Lewis of golf (Best DJ), Caylie Catalano of soccer (Hypest Teammate), Cooper Goggans of men's cross country (Always Snackin'), Kobe Clark of football (Clutch Gene), Maleeah Langstaff of women's basketball (Best Game Day Hair), Jessie Ryan of women's track and field (Zombie Survivor) and Paula Garotte of women's tennis (Most Likely to Go on Reality TV).