COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College athletic department honored its student-athletes at its annual athletic awards banquet on Tuesday night.

A pair of tennis champions received the John E. Brown Award, taking Benedict's top student-athlete award. The award is named after the former legendary coach and athletic director, who spent 32 years serving Benedict College, where he coached football, baseball and basketball for the Tigers. This award is given to the most outstanding student-athlete. Taking the honors this year were Quentin Eloise, the SIAC men's tennis Player of the Year who helped guide the Tigers to their fourth consecutive conference championship, and Caroline Nguy, the SIAC women's tennis Player of the Year who helped lead the Lady Tigers to their third straight conference title.

The Dr. David H. Swinton Power For Good Award went to men's cross country and track & field standout Haregot Gebreyesus. He finished fourth at the SIAC cross country championship and earned All-Region honors with a 25th place finish in the NCAA South Region meet. In the SIAC Track & Field Championship, he finished third in the 10,000 meters and fifth in the 5,000 meters. Gebreyesus also excels in the classroom, graduating with a degree in electrical engineering in three years and a 3.95 GPA. He was named an Academic All-American for the 2016-17 school year, becoming the third Benedict student-athlete to receive this tremendous honor.

The Lucius F. Clark award was presented to baseball player David White Jr. and women's cross country and track & field standout Becky Dionisio. The award is named after the former coach who resurrected the Benedict golf program and is given to any student-athlete who has shown outstanding character and has brought national exposure to the college and athletic program. The recipient also has provided leadership within their sport area, and has shown dedication to help other student-athletes grow.

White led the Tigers with 16 home runs and 51 RBIs this season and is the school's all-time home run leader. In 2017, he was named the SIAC Baseball Player of the Year, All-Region and the Black College Nines Player of the Year. Dionisio won four events at the SIAC Track & Field Championship and earned the Cleve Abbott Award. At the SIAC Cross Country Championship, she finished fourth and advanced to the NCAA South Region meet.

The winner of the Jimmy Green Memorial Inspiration award was men's basketball player Umar Frost.

The award is named in honor of one of Benedict's outstanding football alumni and is presented to a student-athlete who has been confronted with life-altering experiences and has utilized perseverance, dedication, and determination to overcome the event. This award is presented in recognition of Mr. Green's dedication and commitment to Benedict College.

The department also recognized five student-athletes with a perfect 4.0 GPA, as well as 120 student-athletes with a 3.0 GPA or higher.

The Central Midlands Booster Club presented its special award to Benedict football coach Mike White.
 
The Benedict Family of the Year Award went to the Mimbs family, the family of football player Tory Mimbs.
 
Other award winners:
Cheerleading:
Most Spirited Cheerleader: Chasity Thompson
Most dedicated cheerleader: Alexus Robertson
Cheer Motivator of the Year: Samaria Christian
Most Improved Skills of the Year: K'Lynn Spivey
Newcomer of the Year: Alishana Montgomery
Outstanding Male Lifter: Randy Mack-Weston
Outstanding Senior Pom: Arneshia Parrish
Most Spirited Pom: Tatyana Wakefield
Passionate Pom: Lyric Howell
 
Baseball:
Most Valuable Player: David White Jr.
Offensive Player of the Year: Armando Valentin
Defensive Player of the Year: Andrew McCoy
Pitcher of the Year: Ricardo Pagan
 
Softball:
Pitcher Award: Taylor Roberts
Offensive Award: Most Stolen Bases- Brianna Billie 
Defensive Award: Sharik Woods 
Coach's Award: Amari Lawson
 
Women's Basketball:
Most Valuable Player: Ay'Anna Bey
Most Improved: Camryn Bostick
Coach's Award: MiKeisha Moore
Best Offensive Player: Ayanna Armstead
Best Defensive Player: Essence Stinnette
 
Men's Basketball:
Most Improved Player: Rodney Prichard
Defensive Player of the Year: Umar Frost
Best All Around:  Jelani Watson-Gayle
Player of the Year: Brandon Morris
 
Volleyball:
Coaches Award: Kiarra Pettway
Most Improved: Torcealon Kelley
Best Defensive Player: Majda Cisic
Best Offensive Player: Adrionna Washington
 
Football:
Offensive MVP: Okechi Ntiasagwe
Defensive MVP:  Charles Williams
Co-Most Improved: Kenneth Gunter
Co-Most Improved: Rickym Holmes
Best Offensive Lineman: Craig Hinson
Best Defensive Lineman: Aaryn Guy
Best Defensive Back: Edward Kirkland
Best Wide Receiver: Okechi Ntiasagwe
 
Men's Golf:
Newcomer of the Year: Sam Smith
Co-Most Valuable Player: Rajai Cousley
Co-Most Valuable Player: Ignacio Espina
 
Men's Tennis:
Most Valuable Player: Quentin Eloise
Best All Around Newcomer: Julius Mutetwa
Freshman of the Year: Nikola Aleksic
Coach's Award: Taj Ballantyne
 
Women's Tennis:
Most Valuable Player: Caroline Nguy
Senior Best All-Around: Karla Flores
Coach's Award: Daniella Rios
Most Improved: Viktoria Izakova
 
Women's Cross Country:
Running Tiger Award: Pauline Cobb
Most Improved: Brianna Frazier
Coach's Award: Lea Tshikaya
Most Valuable Runner: Becky Dionisio
 
Men's Cross Country:
Running Tiger Award: Evans Korir
Coach's Award:  Stephan Richardson
Most Improved:  Amos Chebii
Most Valuable Runner:  Haregot Gebreyesus
 
Women's Track and Field:
Track Athlete of the Year: Phoebe Johnson
Eye of the Tiger Award: Kimona Wilson
Most Improved Female Athlete: Breasiah Fields
Most Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year: Becky Dionisio
 
Men's Track and Field:
Jumper of the Year: Kaleb Daniels
Eye of the Tiger Award: Casser Middleton
Field Athlete of the Year: Jonhoi Clarke
Most Outstanding Male Runner: Lennox Williams
 
 
4.0 GPA:
Jonhoie Clarke, men's track and field
Evans Korir, men's cross country and track & field
Jaylon Simmons, men's basketball
Jelani Watson-Gayle, men's basketball
Juliet Campbell, women's tennis
 
3.0 and higher GPA:
Women's Basketball:
Raven Baker
Ay'Anna Bey
Camryn Bostick
Jasmine Clements
Jordan Dawson                
Dae'Shondra Stephens (also track & field)
Essence Stinnette
Shanaissa White
 
Cheerleading:
Ariel Ashford
Felicia Belcher
Reigan Carr
Chasity Thompson          
Samaria Christian
Queen-Nubian Ford
Dia Hinton
Lyric Howell       
Everlena Shania Isaac
Kayla Regina Montgomery
Breniya Shaquai Murray
Arneshia Parrish (also volleyball)
Marquetta Randolph
Klynn Spivey
Ronesha Stigger
Chasity Thompson
Tyana Thornton
 
Women's Cross Country:
Becky Dionisio (also for track & field)
Brianna Frazier
Phoebe Johnson (also for track & field)
Tashay Roberts
Kelrianna Sistrunk (also for track & field)
Lea Tishikaya
 
Softball:
Tandreanna Conyers
Erika Dargan
De'Maya Davis
Torcealon Kelley (also volleyball)
Amari Lawson
Khayreyah Parrish
Tiana Prince
Taylor Roberts
Sharik Woods
 
Women's Tennis:
Juliet Campbell
Karla Flores
Viktoria Izakova
Adrienne Milow
Caroline Nguy
Daniella Rios
 
Women's Track:
Sydnie Anthony
Breasiah Fields
Savionna Glover              
Akera Hollins-Baker
Kailya Jackson
Taylor Johnson
Karisma Kennedy
Sorenya Miller
Alexya Desirika Sawyer
Naria Melville
 
Volleyball:
Majda Cisic
V'Aira Harris
P'yuncka Kearse-Peeples
Brianne McMillian
Adrionna Washington
 
Baseball:
Osvaldo Aquino
Keati Buchanan
Michael Garner
Jaylin Jennings
Anthony Johnson
Jacob Lagos
Myquerris McGrier (also football)
Fareed Mizelle
Christian Moore
Brian Nevils
Bradon O'Connor
Ricardo Pagan   
Skyler Sabado   
Javier Santiago
Phillip Torres
Armando Valentin
Darian Williams
Fate Young
 
Men's Basketball:
Jelani Watson-Gayle
Fraser MacDonald          
Rodney Prichard              
Jaylon Simmons               
Davante Wiltshire
               
Men's Cross Country:
Oshane Burrell (also track & field)
Amos Chebii (also track & field)
Haregot Gebreyesus (also track & field)
Shemar Hylton (also track & field)
Evans Korir (also track & field)
Trison Myers
Stephan Richardson (also track & field)
Lennox Williams (also Track and Field)
 
Football:
Amari Andrews
Michael Arroyo (also track & field)
Wendell Bing
Shawn Brown
KaDarius Garrett
Xavier George
Localzo Hook
Shaquille Husser
Elroy Maloyd Jr.
Tory Mimbs       
Avery Owens
Cardrez Slocumb             
Tyler Steele       
Khalil Thomas
Freddie Walker III      
Reubyn Walker
Charles Williams
 
Men's Golf:
Rajai Cousley    
Ignacio Espina   
 
Men's Tennis:
Taj Ballantyne
Quentin Eloise
Armando Flores
Julius Mutetwa
 
Men's Track:
Joshua Brimmer              
Zaire Cain           
Jonhoi Clarke    
Isaiah Gates      
Lennox Williams